


A Goddess and a Swordswoman

by Blackhawks8



Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 06:56:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 220,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17239547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackhawks8/pseuds/Blackhawks8
Summary: Lucina felt something warm inside when looking at Palutena's eyes and shaking her hand after their preliminary match. Will she express how she feels towards her? What would happen from there?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here I want to spread Palucina here with some hopeful quality story about the pairing and Fanfiction.net. Hope you all enjoy!

A Goddess and a Swordswoman

Chapter 1

A white room, holding eight teleportation tubes, was being used for one final preliminary fight before the final Smash round. Only four were being used all on the left side, just for their own purposes. Seven matches were already fought and each winner progressed to the final round, hoping to be crown Smash champion for this fourth edition. This last match was adrenaline pumping for Palutena. She was newcomer and already adapted well into the environment she was in. Considering that she had a small role in the Subspace Emissary in the third edition or simply known as _Brawl,_ Palutena was aware of some areas in the Smash world. Continuing with the story, Palutena was in front of the teleportation pod, anxious to enter inside. Her shoulders started to constipate, hands balled into fists, and legs barely shaking.

“Lady Palutena” a white angel said to his goddess. “Good luck on your match. I know you can win.”

“Thank you Pit” Palutena responded as she turned to Pit, closed her eyes, and smiled. “That’s very supportive of you. I’ll try my best to win.”

“Don’t say that Lady Palutena. Your fighting capabilities are beyond these Smash fighters. They’ll be surprised to see your potential.”

“You do have your point. After all, these fighters are mortal beings.”

“Exactly, I’ll be rooting for you.”

“Thanks” Palutena said before walking into the pod. She turned around to see Pit waving at her. She only lifted her hand halfway upwards and waved. The pod closes with nontransparent glass. It’s very dramatic occasionally since others don’t get to sight on the fighters after they exit the pod. Inside, a white, translucent, circular ring appears that surrounds Palutena’s head. As it moves its way down, Palutena’s physical body dissipates which means on thing: transporting into the battle arena.

Adjacent to Palutena’s pod, there were three other fighters who are the opponents. Two of which already entered inside their respective pods were transported to the battlefield. One of the three remained standing in front of a pod. Her Parallel Falchion rests on her right hand with the tip contacting the concrete ground. This particular swordfighter was none other than Lucina. She was watching and hearing Palutena and Pit talk moving her head only a few centimeters left. Like Palutena, Lucina felt nervous as well. In fact, she felt the same nerves that Palutena had. Why was it? She tried to ignore the thought and proceeded into the pod.  

“Ladies and Gentlemen” a voice announce on the speaker which seems to be seen nowhere. It was Master Hand, the creator of the Super Smash world. He was the calm but serious right hand that made sure everything went smooth and peaceful. “It’s time for the eighth and final preliminary round of this Smash tournament!”

The crowd roars with exuberance. Pit was on a reserved theater room that was reserved for Smash fighters only with his doppelgänger Dark Pit. In fact, all Smash fighters were there except the four who were fighting for their watch.

“Rules apply as usual. Last fighter standing wins the fight. No items allowed with the exception of the Smash Ball. One stocked life will be implemented” said Master Hand proudly before waiting to hear the fans scream with energy. “Here, we have four newcomers for this fight. We have the Goddess of Light Palutena, boxing champion Little Mac, Namco’s Pac-Man, and the daughter of Chrom Lucina!”

All four named fighters appeared on the battlefield. Pac-Man was on the higher girder platform while Palutena and Little Mac were on the lower girder. Lucina was on the ground floor anticipating an aerial attack from others.

“Ready” Master Hand says with suspense as the four fighters prepare to make their moves. “Go!”     

The match starts with Little Mac and Pac-Man using an aerial attack on Lucina. As she expected, Lucina placed her Falchion downward and parallel to her shoulders. Pac-Man was kicking downwards with his legs while Little Mac punches beneath himself. Once the two contacted Lucina’s Falchion, she counters the attack, causing the two to diverge off different directions. She double jumps to where Palutena just stood. She swings her sword but this time anticipation gets the best of her. Palutena locks her shield and staff close to her and said “Counter.” Lucina falls down to a lower girder.

“She can counter?” said the baffled Lucina. She quickly gets on her feet. “Not bad.”

Lucina had only known that her comrades of Fire Emblem can use counter ability. She thought a fighter with a sword can use the counter since it seemed logical to her. A swordfighter positions his or her sword in a way that allows them to reflect an opponent’s attack. It was that simple to her. Now she finds that counter can be used more than just a swordfighter.  

“Autoreticle” Palutena said as three blue ammos were targeted at Lucina.

Lucina back flipped and avoided getting hit. Once she was on her feet, Pac-Man appears behind her and shoots a red, pixelated ghost Blinky. Having no time to react for a counterattack, Lucina was hit and fell forward. She regains her balance and turned back to face Pac-Man. She charges at him for a thrust attack. Pac-Man threw pellets in front of him and became a third dimensional retro Pac-Man. He ate the pellets and Lucina was hit again. This time, she was on the ground but quickly regained her feet.

“You’re throwing impressive attacks at me” Lucina said to Pac-Man. “But I’ll be victorious.” She took a step forward in order to get Pac-Man to charge at her which she succeeds. He attempts a side kick at her but she dodged it by moving sideways. Then she made the move; three forward sword dances before ending it with multiple thrusts. Pac-Man falls backwards and lands on the side of his body. “You’re finished.”

It never happened. Little Mac lunged an overhand punch at Lucina’s back of the head. She falls down but lands on the side of her body like Pac-Man. This time, Lucina struggled to get up since she only managed to get on her knees. When she looked up to see Little Mac, he was charging for an uppercut that would easily eliminate her. It was becoming frightening for Lucina, getting hit by a professional boxer and get swollen bruises on her face.

“Hurry and finish it baby” yelled from a man in the audience. It was Doc Louis who had been Little Mac’s trainer. He knew that Little Mac had what it takes to win the tournament despite his height detriment.

Lucina failed to get up; she was still on her knees. If only she had an item, it can make a difference. Then, her ears picked up multiple sounds behind her. She knew that Pac-Man is using his Bonus Fruit, especially his favorite one, key. Pac-Man was in position to throw at Lucina. It was like Pac-Man and Little Mac are teaming up together to defeat everyone before fighting against each other. Once Pac-Man threw his key, Lucina rolled over, and the key passed her.

“Oh, shi-“Little Mac cursed before getting hit with the key.

The impact of the hit engendered him to fly back at such distance. He was at a moderate percent hitbox and thought he was safe once he lands. He was wrong. A blue bladelike light came from the ground and struck Little Mac’s back. He arcs his back and released a scream of pain as he flew upwards.

“That’s for the punches” Palutena said with vengeance. However, Little Mac wasn’t knocked out. Maybe one more strong strike can eliminate him. As he falls down, Palutena moved away from the edge of the battlefield. She is prepared for one more strike. This time, she’s charging up her attack which makes it worse for Little Mac. “Goodbye, mortal.”

Once she releases her attack, Little Mac slip counters and reflects Palutena’s powerful attack. Palutena was shocked to see that a boxer can perform a counter attack. She was sent flying backwards, taking more damage than her intended attack.

“Lady Palutena” Pit worriedly hollered. “Don’t give up!”

“You’re so annoying sometimes” Dark Pit adds in. He’s standing sideways whereas everyone else is watching the match from a jumbo television.

“Come on, Pittoo” Pit replied with optimism. “You still have to support our goddess.”

“Do…not…call…me…that…damn…name” Dark Pit angrily replies as his shoulders shrug and tense. “I hate that name and prefer Dark Pit.”

“Whatever you say ‘Dark Pit.’”

The match has become more intense than it was in the beginning. All four fighters have taken a considerable amount of beating from their opponents. Their damage levels are near the triple digits, so any fighter is at risk for a defeat. It all comes down to focusing more on skill rather than strength. Too much focus on strength leaves exposure to vulnerability. Palutena and Little Mac are facing each other while Lucina and Pac-Man are settling their fight in a different area.

“Autoreticle” Palutena said as she targets Little Mac with her staff.

“Woah” Little Mac exclaimed surprisingly. He jumps upwards which he lands on a girder.

Palutena follows Little Mac and rotates her staff rapidly. Little Mac dodges the attack by rolling backwards. He immediately lunges forwards for the attack. Palutena moved sideways and grabbed Little Mac’s torso. She threw him away from the stage at a good distance. Little Mac jumps once then performs a vertically sky uppercut. He couldn’t reach the edge of the platform and fell. His body dissipates, eliminated from the competition.

“Little Mac” Master Hand said with drama. “Defeated.”

“Damn,” Doc Louis cursed as he banged his fists on a wall. “He’s no air fighter. That’s why he lost!”

Palutena turned back and saw Lucina who had thrust her sword to Pac-Man which sent him flying to the far side of the stage. His body dissipates.

“Pac-Man” Master Hand says. “Defeated.”

It came down to two female fighters: a goddess and a swordswoman. Both face each other, prepared to fight for a ticket to the finals. Lucina makes the first move by running towards Palutena. The tip of her Falchion contacts against the ground, creating a screeching noise which didn’t disturb the two. Palutena was prepared for a counter. Just as she was going to position her counter, Lucina jumps over her and swings vertically down. Palutena quickly responds by turning back and blocking the attack with her staff horizontally. The turn made her left knee fall to the ground. The force is bringing a great amount of pain on the left knee. Palutena tried to ignore her pain while holding off Lucina’s attack. There was force applied on two sides that seemed neutral. Neither fighter is losing the edge.

    

“Damn” Palutena thought. “I can’t move forward too much otherwise I’ll be vulnerable to an attack. If I move back, it’ll-“

It was too late; Palutena’s left knee had too much pain to handle. It had a spasm and moved forward which trigger Palutena to fall back while Lucina falls on her. Then, a Smash Ball appears and every single viewer focused on the Smash Ball’s presence, commenting that whoever doesn’t get it is screwed.

Lucina places her hands on the ground in order to stand up. However, her face was very close to Palutena’s. It was then that their eyes met each other. Lucina’s blue eyes stared at the luscious green eyes of a goddess while Palutena’s green eyes looked at the unique swordswoman’s blue eyes with the mark of Naga on the left eye. Suddenly, Lucina’s body temperature rose up which then led to her face to blush. It was peculiar to her to be that close to someone she rarely knows and somehow feel warm around her. Palutena only had her face redden once Lucina blushed. She added a grin which made Lucina’s cheeks extremely red. Lucina got up and immediately ran for the Smash Ball.

“That was strange” Palutena said as she got up, dusting off dirt on her right shoulder. “I wonder what’s going on with her unusual behavior, but I found that rather pleasant though. How odd.”

Lucina struck the Smash Ball twice with both semi-circular motion attacks.  None of those two attacks were sufficient in breaking the Smash Ball. The Smash Ball flew towards Palutena. Lucina was out of luck; she cursed since it was going to be Palutena’s anyways. Palutena struck the spherical item with her ethereal wings.

“Damn” Lucina cursed as she saw Palutena whose entire body was outlined with yellow flames. Her eyes were translucent yellow. Lucina had no choice but avoid her as much as possible, hoping her Final Smash would miss.

“Time to end this” Palutena said with a little arrogance in her tone. She flies towards Lucina for a better range. Lucina flips backwards then quickly thrusts her Falchion, trying to release the Smash Ball inside of Palutena. Palutena was one step ahead of her as she countered Lucina’s attack. Lucina flies backwards and lands near the edge of the platform.

“Black hole” Palutena immediately said. A dark sphere appears in front of Lucina. The gravitational pull was so strong that she couldn’t escape. “Sorry, but this match is mine. Mega laser.” A powerful beam struck through Lucina’s body for a couple of seconds. Once everything was over, the knockback was too distant from the edge of the platform. Lucina didn’t even get the chance to have an attempt to return to the stage. Her body disappeared from the battlefield.

“Game” echoed by Master Hand. “The winner is Palutena.”

The crowd roars as Palutena returned to the white room. Pit was on his way to the white room. The three other contestants were waiting for her to say a good match. It is sportsmanship and a rule made by Master Hand. It allows fighters to develop better relationships and socialize more.

Palutena walks out of the pod and saw Little Mac and Pac-Man in front of her while Lucina was next to her virtualization tube. Little Mac took off his dominant glove and shook her hand saying “Good match. That was tough but good at the same time.”

“Thanks Little Mac” Palutena responded. “You were a strong opponent.”

Little Mac just nodded and headed off to see Doc Louis, probably to get reprimanded for losing.

“Pac-Man, you were a good opponent although I didn’t get enough experience of fighting against you” said Palutena.

Pac-Man had his thumb up and his right eye wink. He walked off, heading wherever he likes to go. Lucina was left but she seemed timid towards Palutena. She had her head down, avoiding any eye contact from Palutena. Her body language says it otherwise.

“Lucina” Palutena said softly. She held out her hand for a hand shake. “Good match today. I enjoyed it.”

Without looking, Lucina shook Palutena’s hand quickly and stormed off. “It was good to face you today.”

Those were the last words Palutena could make out. She was puzzled on her behavior. It was not her topic of focus as Pit and Dark Pit entered the room. Lucina was just outside of the white room, blushing and thinking about Palutena’s sparkling green eyes and her flawless skin when she shook her hand.

_Why am I acting like this,_ Lucina thought to herself, _why am I feeling like this?_

 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Lucina was still outside the white room. Her blush had ceased and wanted to focus on her peculiar behavior towards Palutena. She had not known Palutena well since arriving to the Smash world a couple of months ago. Now that she was thinking about it, she only saw her once before losing to her in the preliminary match. It was at the orientation for the newcomers where Lucina remembered seeing Palutena. Their encounter was only a greeting, just saying hello and introducing to each other. That was it. There was nothing else for that short conversation. Since then, they never interacted mainly because they were with comrades from their own world most of the time. Palutena was with Pit and Dark Pit while Lucina was with Marth, Ike, and both male and female Robin. Palutena, however, began interacting with other fighters other than Pit and Dark Pit; she started socializing other fighters with the exception of Lucina and some villainous Smashers. She enjoyed meeting new people. It was nice to get to know people from different universes. Lucina, on the other hand, spoke with fighters who wielded swords like Meta Knight, Link, and Shulk. She talked to them about fighting only.   
“Lucina” said a white haired male with a soothing and calm voice.   
Lucina turned only to see male Robin who came out of the theater room that was in the Smash mansion. He appeared relaxed despite that his friend had lost an important match.   
“You’ve put up a good fight” said Robin.   
“I know I did” agreed Lucina, “but my fighting abilities were not sufficient to win the match.”  
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you came here to show everyone what you’re capable of. And in the end, you’ve fulfilled it well.”   
“Thanks, Robin” said Lucina who gave a hug to her friend. “I appreciate your support.”  
“You can call me Avatar instead. My sister wants the name Robin so I have to change my name. I would have discussed this to her but I couldn’t win an argument against her anyways.”  
Lucina had let out a fast chuckle in response to the Avatar’s statement that he had no control over his sister. There was brief moment of silence. Robin analyzed her message after he told her that he would be named Avatar, and the tone was inconsistent with her verbal message. He says to Lucina, “Is there a problem? You seem unhappy.”  
“No, no” Lucina said, disagreeing Robin’s statement as she stopped hugging him. She took two steps back and responded, “There is no problem that I have. I’m just a bit dissatisfied that I came in second.”  
Robin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Very well, I’m sorry if I had offended you about my previous statement.”  
“It is not your fault, Robin” Lucina replied. “I should have replied to your question more courteously. I guess I’m to blame as well.”  
“Yeah” Robin chuckled lightly. “So, do you want to get something to eat?”  
“I’m just going to my room and rest for a while. Sorry, Robin.”  
“That’s alright. I’m just wondering as all. Well, I’ll see you later then.”  
“I’ll see you later as well.”  
Robin walked past Lucina, heading towards the dining hall of Smash mansion. The mansion was a four-story building that all Smash fighters lived in. Everyone had their own rooms which contained the essentials: a living room, a restroom, a wardrobe closet, and a bedroom. Those rooms were located on the upper levels. On ground floor, there was a large common room that was used for socialization purposes, a kitchen where Smash fighters enter inside and make their own food, and a dining hall. For training, Smash fighters needed to go to the training facility which was walking distance from the mansion. It encompassed a weight room for anyone to use but heavyweight fighters tend to utilize it.   
“I thought Robin was on to me” Lucina admitted to the open air, and luckily no one was around to hear it. She placed her left hand on her chest and blew a sigh of relief. She decided to head up two flights of stairs and entered her room. Lucina placed her Parallel Falchion inside her wardrobe closet and changed to her casual attire: blue jeans and a long-sleeve black shirt. It was more comfortable to wear since the armor added more weight, making it difficult to move at times but she was used to it. Besides, she didn’t want to wear it all the time. It was not a bad idea for her to obtain some variety of clothing to wear, so that people don’t interpret it the wrong way. She had her back on the bed and closed her eyes, thinking about whatever came to her head. Strangely enough, the first thing she thought of was Palutena. She immediately opened eyes and gasped. “What’s with the goddess that makes me constantly think about her?”  
“Lady Palutena” Pit said joyfully. “I knew you were going to win. I just knew it all along. I’m so excited that you’re in the finals. Now, I’m definitely confident that you’re going to win the Smash tournament. There isn’t anyone here who can defeat you!”  
Palutena chuckled to see Pit’s overexcitement behavior. “Thank you, Pit. I ended up being the lucky one at the end.”  
“Nonsense, you had the best fighting skills out of the four. None of them had a chance anyways.”  
“You’re too kind and optimistic, Pit.”  
“Yeah” agreed Pit and scratched his hair with his right hand. “So, ready to go eat and celebrate your victory?! It’s all on me. I’ll bring Pittoo as well.”  
“Isn’t that too much to ask, Pit?”  
“Not at all, I’m doing this because of everything you’ve done to me: caring for me like a mother and serving under your command. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.”  
“Oh my,” said the surprised Palutena. She hadn’t expected Pit to directly say any of those words to her. She had to smile and tear up a little. As a result, she hugged Pit tightly. “Thank you, Pit. I don’t know what I do without you.”  
“It’s cool but you haven’t answered my question.”  
“Oh, I apologize. Yes, I would love to get something to eat.”  
“Ah, great, let’s get going!” Pit exclaimed as he stormed off, presumably to get Dark Pit from the theater room. He had just left Palutena alone in the white room. His excitement was making him impatient all of a sudden. Palutena didn’t seem to mind one single bit. She just chuckled with her mouth closed while her left hand was on her lips. She walked out of the white room and headed towards the theater room in order to get Pit and Dark Pit. Upon entering, she saw many other fighters who were still in the theater room. Only a few left when the match was over. They all turned around and saw Palutena.  
“Look” Mario said. “It’s a Palutena everyone.” He clapped to her, congratulating for a good match. His clapping had caused everyone else to do the same.   
“Thank you all” Palutena said happily. She had waved and bowed as a sign of thanks. “I did not expect myself to win, but, in the end, I ended up with luck on my side.”  
“You can say that” Mario replied back.  
When the clapping had ceased, there was only one sound still slowly repeating itself. A round knight with wings continued to clap after everyone else had stopped.   
“You may have shown some potential combat capabilities” said Meta Knight who was one of the eight finalists for the Smash tournament. “But is it good enough?”   
“Excuse me?” Palutena responded as if she didn’t understand what he meant.   
“I’m just saying that your adequate fighting skills are not sufficient to face against tougher opponents” replied Meta Knight, explaining his previous comments.  
“You’re so arrogant” Pit replied harshly. His face tensed as if he was going to pick up a fight against Meta Knight. “You didn’t even get to see Lady Palutena’s full potential. She’s a lot stronger than you think she is.”  
“You do have your point, but I just don’t feel that she’ll fully utilize her power during the final fight. The finalists are much stronger than your goddess, and she won’t be able to counterattack efficiently as she did in the match that she’d just won.”  
“I don’t believe anything that you’re saying, Meta Knight.”  
“Pit” Palutena said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. “Just relax. His words aren’t hurting my feelings at all. He’s just expressing his opinion.”  
“Exactly” said Meta Knight. “At least she understands.”  
“Hmmph” Pit pouted as he turned his head away from Meta Knight. “Let’s just go Lady Palutena. Pittoo, are you coming?”  
“First of all, I told you to not call me that” Dark Pit angrily responded. “I hate that name, especially when YOU say it.”  
“But would you still go with me and Lady Palutena to celebrate, right?”  
“Fine, I’ll go so you’ll shut your damn mouth.”  
The three Kid Icarus characters departed the theater room and headed towards a restaurant in Smash City. Only Palutena and Dark Pit had said their goodbyes to everyone in the theater room except Pit. He was still upset at Meta Knight for commenting that Palutena is not a strong, formidable competitor. At least, it was his opinion. He hoped that Meta Knight would lose the finals in the most humiliating way possible; it would be his way of revenge, but it was not a good one at all.  
Smash City was an urbanized society where legions of people and fans lived. The Smash mansion was located outside the perimeter of Smash City. Many fighters went to Smash City just to go look around the city, purchase things for themselves or for others, play sports at recreational centers, or hang out in social areas. Fans in the city took pictures of any fighter and kept them as a treasure. Smash fighters were considered celebrities in the city which wasn’t a surprise at all. Fans couldn’t follow or stalk them because Master Hand had passed a rule stating that any stalking will result, depending on degree of severity, restraining orders to house arrest. Ever since this rule was established, no fan had stalked any Smash fighter.  
“Here we are” Pit said standing in the restaurant of his choice. “SmashPizza. It’s one of the best restaurants to get pizza.”  
“We’re eating Italian today?” Dark Pit asked as if he didn’t want to eat there. “We could have asked Mario and Luigi to make this stuff for us. Besides, I’m more in the mood for burgers.”  
“Now Pittoo, we do not stereotype other people because of their nationality” Palutena said politely and assertively back to Dark Pit. “I think this is a fine place to dine in for dinner.”  
“Thank you, Lady Palutena” said Pit. “You guys won’t be disappointed about SmashPizza; you can trust me on this.”  
“You better be right” Dark Pit said to Pit, “otherwise I’ll smash you into the stratosphere.”  
“I am right, though.”  
The three entered into the entry doors of SmashPizza. Inside the restaurant, the first thing they all noticed was the artistic paintings on the walls. They were all beautifully crafted based on the facial features and the environment setting. The only thing that seemed off was that each painting had some type of pizza located in unusual locations. It wasn’t a surprise to them that these paintings needed a slice of pizza or a pan of pizza in them for a reason. Pit led the group towards the cashier, asking for a table for three. The cashier happily guided them to their seats which were at the far left ends of the dining establishment. They sat in a four person table with Dark Pit by himself on one side while Pit and Palutena were together on the other side. The cashier gave them menus and told them that their waiter was coming to take their orders. Pit thanked the cashier who then returned to the front.   
Multiple knocks were heard on Lucina’s door, fast ones as a matter of fact. Lucina rose up from her bed and walked towards the door. She turned the knob clockwise and pulled back and saw female Robin who was the sister of male Robin.   
“Robin” said the somewhat surprised Lucina. “I was not expecting your arrival. How are you today?”   
“I’ve been alright.” replied Robin. “What about you?”  
“I’m just resting after a hard fought battle.”  
“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry about your loss, Lucina.”   
“There is no need to apologize to me. I lost fairly and I have to accept it.”  
“I see but anyways, I came to see if you want to go to the common area. Staying here in your room seems solitary and lonely.”  
“Well, I do feel isolated in here.”  
“So?”  
“I can spare some time at the common area.”  
“Good…let’s go.”  
Lucina grabbed her card key, closed the door, and locked it. The two headed down two flights of stairs and reached the common area. Female Robin had planned ahead and led Lucina to a billiards table. There were only two pool tables to play; one was occupied by Fox and Falco. The common area had a large screen television, multiple couches and bean bags, a foosball table, an air hockey table, and a theater room. It appeared that no matter how many times a Smash fighter goes into the common area, it doesn’t get boring at all.   
“Know how to play pool?” asked Robin who seemed to be curious if Lucina had actually played pool. She picked up two cue sticks from its rack; her left hand was extended outwards, offering one cue stick to Lucina.   
“I do know how to play, but I’m not adept to it. Marth showed me the basics of playing pool once” replied Lucina, grabbing the cue stick from Robin.   
“Don’t worry, I rarely play pool, too” said Robin, trying to make Lucina feel more confident in this friendly match. She grabbed a billiard ball rack, placed it on her side of the table, and randomly positioned all 15 billiard balls in the triangular item. A white cue ball was placed on the other side of the table, linear to the fifteen pool balls. “Want to go first?”  
“I would prefer if you went first instead.”  
“Fair enough” Robin said neutrally. She leaned approximately ninety degrees forward, placed her left hand next to the cue ball while her index finger was lifted up, and positioned her cue stick between it and the middle finger. A deep breath was inhaled quietly by Robin. She moved her right hand back and forth by a couple of inches. Then, a sheer force was pushed on the cue ball. The collision had spread many billiard balls across the pool table. Despite a strong start, Robin only managed to sink in a 2 ball. “I could’ve had a better result.”  
Lucina was silent on Robin’s first turn, uncertain if she should respond that previous statement. She kept observing Robin who was targeting the 5 ball, which was linear to the top right corner pocket hole. Her cue ball was distant from the 5 ball, so she had to use more power in order to increase the chance to sink it in. She moderately struck the cue ball and the 5 was sunk in. Her next target was the 7 ball, but missed her desired hole which was across from the top right pocket hole.  
“Well, that was a failure” said Robin hitting the thick end of her cue stick on the ground. The 7 ball was touching the outside of the hole. She didn’t have enough power to sink it in. “It was a clear shot, too.”  
“I suppose so” Lucina finally responded. She seemed half-interested in the game and was more focused on Palutena. It became irritating to her because the image of her beautiful complexion and green eyes hadn’t escaped her mind. No matter how hard she tried, it wasn’t going to disappear at any rate. She still failed to figure out why she was constantly thinking of Palutena. “It is my turn, correct?”  
“Yep.”  
Lucina concentrated on the stripped balls which were scattered across the table. A combination shot seemed improbable to succeed, so she focused on one ball at a time. A 13 ball was straight away from the cue ball horizontally. Lucina’s left hand was placed on the floor while her cue stick was in a position similar to Robin’s. She pulled back and immediately went for a shot without any preparation. Luckily, the 13 ball went in but the white ball fell in as well.  
“Too bad,” said Robin, who seemed somewhat satisfied, as she picked up the cue ball from the top left pocket hole and placed it closely to the 7 ball which was near the bottom left pocket hole. “Looks like I’ll be ahead of this game by three balls. Don’t laugh at that joke, Lucina.”  
“What joke?” replied the dumbfounded Lucina.  
“Oh, nevermind, it’s still my turn.”  
This game went on for only ten minutes. Robin was declared the winner as she won by four points. It was as if billiards was Robin’s favorite game to play. She grinned confidently and arrogantly for every ball she sunk in while frowned disappointingly for every terrible shot she made. Lucina, on the other hand, didn’t care that much in billiards but enjoyed spending time with female Robin. Her brother was also a good friend to be with when having a pleasant time. Marth and Ike were more like mentors to her in the Smash world. Occasionally, she does socialize with both heroic swordsmen but she doesn’t feel like she was becoming a more outgoing person.   
“Ready for round two?” asked Robin, pumped up to play again.   
“Yes, I would like to play another round with you, Robin” replied Lucina.  
“Great,” Robin happily responded as she restocked the rack with the fifteen balls and placed the cue ball on the opposite direction. “Let’s get right into the next game then. You can go first, Lucina.”  
“Alright, then” Lucina said with a smile on her face. “Hopefully, I can earn a victory for this match.”  
“We’ll see about that.”  
A burp came out of Pit’s mouth after he consumed ten slices of pizza and sipped on his orange-flavored soda. He took a napkin from a napkin holder and wiped the grease and sauce on his mouth. Despite him eating that much food, it was nothing compared to Palutena. She ate as many nutrients as she could, and she had no signs of feeling full. Her stomach was like a bottomless well; even with all of those calories, she maintained her figure. What’s her secret? It might be since she was a goddess and how they have had no limit on eating food. Dark Pit ate less, just four slices of pizza, than Pit and Palutena. He was probably not hungry but drank too much grape-flavored soda as it was his favorite beverage. Pit belched loudly again, and it quickly annoyed his doppelgänger.  
“Could you not burp that loud please?!” asked the belligerent Dark Pit. His frown was pointed directly at Pit who didn’t seem to mind one bit.   
“I can’t” replied the optimistic Pit. “Lady Palutena’s here, and it just naturally happens.”  
“I don’t care. Just burp that loud again and I’ll have to punch you in the stomach so hard that you’ll lose all that delicious pizza you’ve just enjoyed!”  
“Now, now, Pittoo” Palutena interrupted in the somewhat conversation between Pit and Dark Pit. “You should at least thank Pit for paying everything we have eaten and drank. It is an occasion because of my victory in the preliminaries.”  
“Not to mention a spot in the finals next week” Pit added in.  
“Of course, I will have to begin training tomorrow” Palutena replied to Pit.   
“But Lady Palutena, you deserve a day off tomorrow.”  
“While I do appreciate your supportiveness, I need to prepare physically and mentally for the finals. There are seven other finalists who show profound fighting skills, and they will never rest from today to the night before the finals.”  
“Yeah,” Pit said he put his palm on the back of his head. “I suppose so. Now I think about it, don’t you need someone to train with you Lady Palutena?”  
Palutena thought about it. She usually trained with Pit and Dark Pit in the past couple of weeks. The way Pit worded his question perplexed Palutena because she assumed that Pit or Dark Pit would train with her even though the finals requireed more rigorous training. “I do need someone to train me. Pit, you can always aid me in improving my fighting skills for the finals.”  
“But, I can’t. This is the finals we’re talking about. You’re a finalist and I’m not. Pittoo and I are not worthy of helping you.”  
“Do I have to tell you to not fucking call me that?!” said Dark Pit who became infuriated. When Palutena says “Pittoo”, he doesn’t get upset towards her. But with Pit, it’s a problem, since he teased him about it or even liked the name. “Never mind, you are incompetent to answer anyways. Can we just go home now?”  
“Not now” Pit replied as he slides down on his chair slightly. He then rubbed his stomach in order to feel better after consuming excessive amounts of sliced pizza. “I’m so full right now; I need to rest for a bit.”  
“Damn it” cursed Dark Pit as he bang his hands on the table. He ended up waiting almost an hour before Pit was ready to leave SmashPizza and return to the mansion. During that time, he whistled to himself a song he liked and lightly twirled the front of his black hair while Palutena waited patiently for Pit to see if he was ready to leave. Then, Dark Pit became drowsy and was on the verge of falling asleep. His eyes were almost shut before Pit got up, saying he was ready to go back to the mansion. Dark Pit suddenly became upset at Pit for purposefully wasting his time. Pit apologized for not intending to make him waste his time. “Whatever, let’s just get out of here.”  
They had departed and returned to the mansion. Inside the mansion, Lucina finished her turn with only an 11 ball on the pool table before targeting the 8 ball. Robin had a 4 ball left and was her turn now. The cue ball was linear to the 4 ball but not to the bottom-left hole. She adjusted her cue stick by moving a few millimeters left. Concentration was on her eyes; any outside distraction became insignificant. Robin took a shot and made it in.   
“That was too easy, isn’t Lucina?” said Robin, who was staring at the table, hoping Lucina replied to her question. There was no response for a brief moment. She had a confused expression and turned her head to her friend. “Lucina, did you hear me?”  
Lucina heard both of Robin’s questions but hadn’t responded to them. She was looking at the entrance door since there were three people who arrived in the mansion. Two angels were ignored by Lucina because she was only staring at only one person out of the three. Those warm feelings she had felt before suddenly came back to disrupt her normal behavior. She stood there, watching, as Palutena was indirectly walking towards them.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day Lucina wore her battle attire, a blue armor with a mark of Naga on her cape, because she wanted to train more. It was her favorite pastime as a matter of fact. Whenever she had nothing else planned, she would walk to the training facility and spend time on adapting her fighting skills for future matches. Despite failing to advance to the final, she still aspired to improve no matter what. She grabbed her Falchion from her closet, headed outside with her card key on her left hand, and locked her door. On the way towards the training facility, she ran into Avatar who wore his green Plegian robe, which was a different color from his battle attire, at the hallway before the common area.

“Lucina, where are you going on this late morning?” asked Avatar who seemed curious because he saw Lucina’s Smash attire.

“I am heading towards the training complex in order to train” responded the bluenette.

“Really?” replied the surprised tactician as his eyes widened. “You’re not in the finals, though. Why do you want to do that?”

“I just enjoy the feeling of hard work, and I want to improve my skills in order to prepare for the next Smash competition.”

“Come on, Lucina, you can just rest for one day today. The next competition isn’t even a tournament format like the one now; it’s more of a Smash Tour type of game. Besides, all of the finalists are at the training complex now. You’ll feel uncomfortable there.”

“I will only rest when it is necessary. Nevertheless, Smash Tour is another competition, so I have to build a base in order to reach my optimum performance.”

“I see” Avatar said before chuckling which gave Lucina a warm smile on her face. “Enjoy your training then. After your practice, you don’t mind meeting up at the entrance in Smash mansion and grab a bite in Smash City?”

“I do not mind at all. I would be delighted to go eat somewhere in Smash City” Lucina contently replied after a pause.

“Awesome” answered happily by Avatar who hoped that Lucina would accept the offer. “So, what time will you arrive at the entrance of the mansion?”

“Well, I will complete my training at half past noon. I’ll return to the mansion, shower myself and be ready by 1.”

“Great, I’ll see you again a few minutes after 1 then.”

“I should say the same thing to you, too.”

Lucina quickly paced herself so that she exited the mansion in a flash. On the way to the training complex, her walking pace was considerably faster than the one inside the mansion just moments ago. Speaking with Avatar drained her precious training time. It was not that she didn’t want to talk to him; it was her value of spending solid time for training. That was her top priority. She disliked frittering time on something which would shorten the training stint. Inside the facility, she saw the eight finalists isolated from each other as if they did not want to interfere with one another. None of the fighters had peers or acquaintances to assist them in training. It appeared that for the finals the participants were on their own even though that was not mandatory. It was strange for that kind of “tradition” to happen. However, that “tradition” was about to break when Lucina gazed at Palutena who practiced her offensive moves on a sandbag. Every movement that Palutena made attracted her.

“It is amazing how she executes those artistic martial arts beautifully” Lucina quietly said to herself. After realizing what she had said, Lucina covered her mouth immediately, producing a tapping noise which no one else apparently heard. She could not believe she just said that out loud to the public even though nobody listened to her. “Why did I say that?” thought herself.

“Why are you here?” said a ninja-like Pokémon with his tongue wrapping around his neck like a scarf in some alien language as he approached to Lucina. His tone signaled that he was displeased that Lucina had arrived in the building.

“Excuse me?” Lucina replied surprisingly and angrily as she burrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly. Luckily, she studied and understood the language of Pokémon for a considerable amount of time; otherwise, it would have been an awkward encounter.  

“Why is Lucina, a clone and a non-finalist Smasher, here training with the top fighters?”

“First and foremost, do not call me a clone. Secondly, I happen to like training; it’s my preferred pastime activity to do. I want to improve in my combat abilities for the next Smash competition.”

Greninja laughed as if he found Lucina’s reason to be absolutely ridiculous. She took his response negatively but couldn’t do anything to retaliate because she was not that kind of person. “That’s really funny, clone. Do you really think that you’ll be better in Smash? You lost to a goddess whose fighting wasn’t even-“

“Enough!” said Palutena whose vociferous voice sounded daunting. “Greninja, you’ve caused too much disturbance. Leave her alone.”

“Fine, she’s no fun anyways” Greninja responded coldly and exited the facility as if he was done with his training.

“I apologize for Greninja’s behavior. He’s very much cocky and disrespectful to people whom he calls ‘non-finalists.’ I hope he did not offend you” Palutena said graciously to Lucina.

“It is true that he has an arrogant and egotistical attitude” Lucina agreed on Palutena’s description of Greninja. “I am just distraught that he called me a clone.”

“He’s wrong” the goddess said to support the bluenette. “Lucina, you’re unique just like everyone else here. It shouldn’t matter what others think because this is who you are. You’re adorable and beautiful, too. That’s a definitely a positive attribute for you.”

Lucina’s cheeks harshly reddened, and Palutena noticed it easily and grinned. It was unexpected for Lucina to hear those words from the woman she had feelings for. For moment, she thought it was a dream as if something that would happen in her fantasies. No words came out of her mouth, so she turned away and smiled without the goddess seeing it. Her head tilted downwards slightly as she tried to suppress her blush but couldn’t. Palutena’s words just made her extremely jovial. “Thank you very much for your support and…compliment. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome but you’re facing away from me. Is there a problem?”

“No” Lucina immediately turned back and guiltily replied, “There is no problem that I have against you. I apologize for my disrespectful behavior towards you; I had no intention of making you-“

“Relax” Palutena spoke back before giggling at Lucina’s overreaction. “Your behavior wasn’t impertinent to me. I ruminated about if you were ok.”

“I am perfectly normal, so there is no need for concern towards me.”

“Very good, by the way, since you’re here now, do you want to train with me?”

Lucina froze for a couple of seconds as she mused on Palutena’s offer. She was skeptical because it might be some sort of prank. It was hilarious yet ridiculous for her to ponder that because the greenette was amiable to her, so it couldn’t be some sort of joke. She was a bit confused on what to do yet she really wanted to train with Palutena and be with her. This was an opportunity for Lucina to take, which can either end up working out well or ending up a bust. “Yes, I REALLY want to train with you.”

“Excellent, let’s get right into training then” Palutena replied with a small grin. She led Lucina into the virtual training room. During the walk, the greenette thought about Lucina accentuating the word ‘really’ when she accepted the offer. She mused why the swordswoman emphasized that word. It was difficult to figure out. Originally, she wanted to ask her about it, but decided against it because she would feel awkward towards it. Besides, they were about to train right now, and it was the wrong time to ask.

The virtual training room was a simulation area where Smashers fought against computer-leveled fighters. It gave them an idea of how their fighting style should be for the next match against opponents. Since the final was coming up, the intensity level of the computerized fighters was set at the maximum by the finalists. Smashers could program actual opponents in order to understand about their combat skills. The only problem was that it was not completely accurate. As it turns out, Master Hand had programmed that on purpose because he wanted every fighter learn other Smasher’s combat abilities through physical brawl rather than computerized fighting. There was only one virtual room in the training facility, and Sonic occupied it. He practiced taking the advantage of his speed against a high-level computerized fighter. It was a working progress as his hitting accuracy and recovery improved. Once he finished, Palutena and Lucina walked inside to greet the blue anthropomorphic hedgehog.

“Hey, Palutena, what’s up?” asked the cool, easy-going hedgehog.

“I’m just wondering if you were finished with this room because my partner Lucina and I want to use it for training” replied the goddess.

“Well, you’re in luck because I just finished my fighting portion of training” Sonic replied as he grabbed his customized gym bag, which was blue with his logo designed at the center on one side.

“Oh, thank you, Sonic” Palutena said with a sigh of happiness. She then realized that she hadn’t officially introduced Lucina to Sonic. “By the way, you two haven’t introduced to each other. That is my fault.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot as well” Sonic said sheepishly as he tapped the side of his head, feeling stupid to forget such a thing. His extended his right hand straight and greeted “Hi, Lucina, I’m Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Sonic” Lucina replied formally and shook his hand tightly. “So, you are one of the finalists along with Palutena?”

“That’s right. You should’ve seen Mario’s face when I beat him in the preliminaries. It was hilarious, but he was a strong foe.”

Palutena and Lucina giggled from Sonic’s comment since they remembered how Mario lost to Sonic. In Gaur Plains, Sonic got the plumber to chase him continuously in order to exhaust him quickly. It easily worked after five minutes of non-stop running. As a result, Mario fell backwards and placed his back on the ground. His eyes were losing its vision. He was breathing heavily as his heart pumped rapidly. His body was weak and could not move a single muscle. Sonic grabbed both of Mario’s legs and threw him back engendering his body to dissipate into the void. The plumber was embarrassed that he lost that way, but Sonic respected him by saying he was a strong opponent. In the end, both fighters shook hands and their rivalry became stronger than ever.

“Sonic, where are you off then?” asked Palutena who appeared to be curious.

“I’m heading towards the weight room because I need to strengthen my attacks. Well, I’ll catch you two ladies later.”

Both said their goodbyes to Sonic for the day. To start off as a warm-up, Palutena was programming the settings where six Mii fighters were at level 6. She decided to get her rhythm flowing first before challenging herself against high-leveled fighters.

“Ready, Lucina?” asked the greenette as she walked inside the room where Lucina stood at the circle.

“Yes, I am prepared to fight” replied Lucina as she drew out her Falchion confidently.

“Good. Keep in mind that we’re not fighting as a team.”

“I am aware of that.”

“Great.”

They were virtualized into Big Battlefield where it resembled the regular Battlefield but had larger dimensions and multiple girders. This stage was the one where the final round of the tournament will take place, so it was the right choice to train since they will be familiar with the environment. Palutena was on the highest girder of the stage while Lucina was on the ground. It almost resembled their preliminary match. Because of that resemblance, Lucina had a flashback of the preliminary match against the goddess even though this stage was not the one where she fought against her. Her nerves intensely grew as the images of being close to Palutena constantly repeated itself in her mind. She did her best to ignore those images. It partially took a toll on her mind, but it wasn’t too much. The six computerized fighters were equal numbers of Mii brawlers, Mii swordfighters, and Mii gunners; all of them were on the middle section where the floating girders were.

“Ready? Go!” said a pre-recorded voice of Master Hand. The eight fighters began to move around, searching for foes to brawl against. Two Mii brawlers fought against Palutena while the two Mii swordfighters faced Lucina. Two Mii gunners were against each other before teaming up against Palutena.

“This is simple” Lucina said arrogantly as she took no damage from either swordfighter. Her skills were no match against the opponents since it was only at intermediate difficulty. One Mii swordfighter attempted a counter but Lucina balked before striking downwards once the situation was safe. That foe flew back for a short distance before Lucina charged at the enemy with the tip of her sword that barely contacted the ground. Then, the opponent rolled towards Lucina in which he got up behind her and attempted a slash. Lucina was expecting an attack from behind, so she immediately turned around, grabbed the opponent, and threw him off the stage. As he attempted to return the stage with a hero spin, Lucina used her sword dance where her third move, a diagonal downward slash, caused the swordfighter to fall straight down and land into the void. His body dissipated and did not return to the stage. The second Mii swordfighter attacked with an Airborne Assault. Lucina side-dodged the move and the second swordfighter fell into the void that easily because the attack was charged for too long and could not recover while airborne. Lucina turned back to the center of the stage and saw Palutena taking on four fighters. She felt that the greenette was overwhelmed and wanted to help her, so she ran towards the crowd and attacked the Mii gunners.

“What?!” said the surprised goddess as the Mii gunners flew back. Once Lucina managed to get the gunners out of the way, she was in front of Palutena, protecting her like a knight.

“I will take care of the gunners while you handle the brawlers, understand?” Lucina commanded without even looking at Palutena.

“Gotcha” she responded firmly as she faced the Mii brawlers with her staff gripped tightly on the right hand while the blue, round shield was strapped on her left arm. For a brief moment, she pondered why Lucina was protecting her. It seemed peculiar to her. Wouldn’t she dislike her because of the preliminary match? It was confusing to her. As soon as she left her guard down, the Mii brawlers attacked her with their fists. Luckily, her reflexes were sharp, so she quickly positioned her staff and shield within her person and yelled, “Counter!” The knockback was not very far, but the two brawlers partially struggled to get on their feet. Palutena flew towards them, hoping they would attack. Her anticipation paid off as she balked before the first Mii brawler’s punch actually took action, side-dodged it, and retaliated with her ethereal wings. The knockback was further, and the computerized fighter had to put a huge effort to get back on the stage. It failed and that male fighter fell into the void. Her second Mii brawler charged up, extended both of her legs, and released a yellow-wavelike fire. She repeated her counter and the brawler flew back. As the female brawler tried to get back on the stage, Palutena waited for the right time to use her blue blade. When the female brawler had her body above the first level of the girders, the greenette made her move and released a blue blade from the floor. Its power was so forceful that it sent the second brawler to the sky, causing its body to dissipate. It was over for her, so she relaxed and turned back to see Lucina’s progress. She dealt the final blow against the last gunner and won her match. The two returned to the virtual simulation room. It appeared that this simulation was a team battle with friendly fire. Their battling rhythms were in sync and felt that they could raise the difficulty level up higher for improvement.

“That was a good warm-up” Lucina grinned at Palutena.

“Definitely, want to raise the level by one?” replied the greenette who wanted to challenge the bluenette.

“Yes, please.”

The two took a 15 minute break before training again. They went to a water fountain, which apparently had only two. One was used to refill a bottle. Palutena went to the unoccupied one and drank water. Lucina stood behind her, waiting for her turn. During the wait, she stared at the goddess’s butt, noticing the perfect, ideal size for a goddess. Lucina gazed for too long and quickly turned her head somewhere else sheepishly. Luckily, no one saw it, so she did not have to worry about it. She felt like she had a dirty mind for that and was ashamed for it. Once the greenette was finished, Lucina took a sip of water mechanically and walked back to the virtual training room. Palutena had set up the computer difficulty level to 7 but altered the choice of fighters; she chose certain finalists for the Smash tournament as the six computerized fighters. When the two were virtualized into Big Battlefield, Palutena experienced the same thing as she did in her previous practice: Lucina taking care of two fighters. The two were Rosalina and Samus, but she spent more time on them, before rushing and protecting her goddess again. Once it was over, the tall goddess raised the difficulty level by one. Before virtualizing into the Big Battlefield, Palutena hesitated and considered if she should say something to the swordswoman. After arguing against herself, she decided to do so.

“Lucina,” Palutena said as the bluenette turned her head. “If we handle the six computers, we have to fight each other afterwards, so no protecting me beforehand.”

“I understand” Lucina replied with a hint of sadness. Her unhappy facial expression almost revealed itself.

“Great, let’s begin” spoke back the greenette as she pressed the practice simulation button. They were at the same location as they always have done. She felt better that Lucina promised to not protect her, but also felt bad that the woman took it sensitively.

At level 8, these computer fighters were strategically stronger. They dodged moves more frequently and adapted to their opponents’ fighting better. Palutena was partially struggling because her rivals were fast fighters and she wasn’t, so she often countered their moves. Another tactic she tried was utilizing small attacks before releasing strong moves. One was multiple small staff jabs then a meteor smash before unleashing her powerful ethereal wings. After ten minutes against computer Greninja, Meta Knight, and Sonic, Palutena defeated all of them with her ethereal wings. Lucina had a similar situation against three other fighters, but she came out victorious. It wasn’t over because she and Palutena were remaining in the battlefield. The bluenette was not worried that she would mortally wound Palutena because it was only a simulation; the goddess would only feel the hypothetical pain rather than the actual injury.

“Ready to fight?” Palutena asked Lucina with her tone hinting arrogance.

“I am certainly prepared to battle” she replied assertively. The edges of her lips were arched upwards, creating a smile.

The two clashed their weapons forcefully; both of their execution timing was almost meticulous, which caused a neutral hit. Lucina immediately slashed horizontally, but Palutena countered, causing her to fall back ten feet. She quickly got up on her feet and charged at the goddess. The blade was barely scrapping the ground as she was about to attack. Palutena warped behind her and positioned herself for a strong attack. Lucina expected that and countered. Nothing happened. Palutena was charging up her attack longer and struck it with full force. The swordswoman was surprised as she was sent flying past the stage. Her persistence allowed her to barely reach the edge of the stage with her dolphin slash. She reached the ground of the battlefield and saw the goddess gliding towards her. She positioned her Falchion horizontally, pulled back, and charged up a thrust attack. Palutena, in response, shielded herself, and a spherical orb appeared around her but held it too long. Its volume decreased into a basketball shape before Lucina released her shield breaker move. The greenette’s shield shattered, causing her body to be paralyzed for a short stint. Lucina prepared for another shield breaker, a move powerful enough to send her into a void across the stage. She couldn’t believe that she was about to defeat Palutena, an opponent she lost to in the preliminaries. However, the stage and skies were deformed and distorted, and the two were sent back to a familiar white surrounding, the virtual training room. Lucina released her shield breaker nearly the exact moment when the unusual event occurred. The Falchion failed to send Palutena in the air; instead, it went through her stomach, barely above the abdomen, and blood appeared on the wound and the blade. A horrifying scream was let out by the goddess. The scream was loud enough for everyone in the building to hear. In addition, the echo of the scream seemed to perpetuate in Lucina’s mind. How can a goddess receive an excruciating pain from a mortal? It was difficult to explain. Was it possible? Not only blood came out from the wound, it also came out from her mouth. Realizing what she had done, Lucina pulled back the sword and dropped it. Palutena collapsed on the floor, bending her knees and arching her back forward. Lucina just froze. Her body was stunned by the horror that she just witnessed.

“Palutena, I’m…” was all she said as the other finalists entered inside the room.

“Oh my” said Meta Knight who was shocked to see the goddess on the ground with her hand covering her wound while her mouth was covered in blood. He examined the injury and saw blood gushing out. “What happened?”

“I..uh..did…something” Lucina stumbled the words in her mouth, failing to explain the situation to Meta Knight. Her mind was trying to grasp the horror that just happened. She continued to stutter her words.

“Lucina,” Rosalina said calmly as her voice echoed the room. She seemed peaceful even though there was someone who was severely maimed. “Take a deep breath and tell us what happened to Palutena.”

“…I..I’m sorry Palutena for hurting you” Lucina remorsefully said before bursting out of the door. Sonic wanted to stop her but Rosalina prevented him in doing so by grabbing his hand. He looked at Rosalina’s eyes and understood that it was fine for her to run off.

“Forget about her for a while. We must take Palutena to the hospital immediately” Meta Knight said authoritatively as he made a nonverbal gesture to Samus to carry Palutena to the hospital since he was too short to carry her.

“We also need to notify Master Hand right away” Sonic added with his tone and facial expression revealing seriousness.

“Yes, you must depart to Master Hand’s office immediately. Meet us at the hospital once you have contacted Master Hand.”

“No problem” Sonic said as he gestured a thumps up to everyone and ran to Master Hand’s office in Smash City like the fast hedgehog he was supposed to be.

Lucina was running back into the mansion. Tears ran from her eyes as she unknowingly passed Robin. The female tactician attempted to stop Lucina but failed. She became concerned and followed Lucina at a distance, so that the bluenette wasn’t feeling like she was being followed. Lucina unlocked her door and slammed the door shut. She mused about the incident and the consequences that arose afterwards: arrest, prosecution, expulsion, and hatred from everyone. All were boggling in the swordswoman’s mind. Then, she thought of how Palutena would feel afterwards.

_I’m so sorry, Palutena. What have I done? I almost killed you and now you hate me. I’m sorry…so sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should mention this now because I'm going to be honest. This story is already finished on FanFiction.net. I'm posting it here because I want to spread good Palucina fics on this site. Hopefully, you all understand. Plus, you guys get to read the entire thing in one go (I'm doing my best). Enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Lucina” said Robin, knocking rapidly on the door multiple times, “please open the door.”

It became awkwardly silent as Lucina refused to open her door for her friend. The female tactician definitely knew something was wrong but couldn’t figure out the problem. She developed a method on how to approach Lucina’s troubling situation. It ended up being difficult to do, so she decided to say whatever came into her mind and knocked on Lucina’s door in the same manner as she did previously. The second time was a charm, and the bluenette slowly opened the door. It was only partially opened and Lucina’s face was seen to Robin’s perspective.

“Hello, Robin” Lucina said in a half-hearted tone. Her eyes were red due to her tears. She took a sniff of air but did not take in as much with her congested nose.

“Hi, Lucina” Robin replied with a brief smile then a concerned expression, “you don’t look well. Is there a problem?”

“No” Lucina replied gloomily after pausing to respond.

“Are you sure? You were crying downstairs earlier, so I assume that there _is_ something wrong.”

“..It’s that…what happened was…I’m sorry” said gloomily by Lucina before shutting her door. It was blocked by Robin’s right foot. “Robin, what are you doing?”

“I don’t want to you to suffer by yourself. Let me in and you can tell me what happened.”

Lucina waited in order to decide what to do. In the end, she complied with her friend’s demands and opened her door. Robin entered inside Lucina’s room, and the bluenette closed her door shut.

“Now, Lucina,” Robin began the conversation. “Why were you crying? What happened?”

Lucina took a deep breath before responding to Robin’s questions. She was afraid that the displeasure and pain from the incident would haunt her conscious perpetually and prevent her from telling what happened. “I was walking towards the training facility in order to improve my fighting skills. I met…Palutena inside and she asked if I wanted to train with her. I said yes and we went into the…the virtual training room. During one simulation, I was fighting against her, and I shattered her shield that appeared on her person. I…attempted to deal the final blow, but the virtual environment was distorted, and we were sent back to the simulation room. My Falchion…physically penetrated Palutena’s stomach, and she…she…collapsed on the floor.”

“Oh my god” Robin replied by covering her mouth with her right hand in absolute shock and sympathy for the goddess. She then uncovered her mouth and spoke again. “Did you at least take her to the hospital?”

“No, I-“

“What the hell Lucina?!” interrupted angrily by the tactician. “Why didn’t you do that first? Palutena could’ve died because of her injuries!”

“I was afraid!” the bluenette retorted. “I only thought of Palutena hating me for almost murdering her.”

“She would not hate you for that” Robin spoke calmly, restraining her anger.

“Yes, she would. I was this close to taking the life of someone whom I like. How can she not hate me for that?! Answer me that, Robin!”

“It was accidental. The odds of that happening are rare, so Palutena should be rational about that.”

“What if she is not rational about it and despises me for nearly taking her life?”

“That’s the chance you have to take.”

Lucina knew she had to confront Palutena but was afraid of the consequences that had not happened yet. It was all mixed up in her head, floating around in her mind like solving a difficult puzzle. Then, strong vibrations came from their phones that were strong enough to catch their attention. The two picked up their phones, checked the sender who was Master Hand, and read the message that said: “EMERGENCY MEETING FOR ALL SMASHERS! ALL FIGHTERS MUST ARRIVE AT THE COMMON AREA OF THE MANSION IMMEDIATELY!” They knew what Master Hand was going to disclose about.

“We must go” Robin insisted.

“Indeed, we have to settle this issue now” replied the swordswoman with reluctance that edged in her voice.   

An emergency meeting was held at the common area in the Smash mansion. All fighters with the exception of the finalists, Robin, Palutena, and Lucina were present at the emergency meeting. Everyone sat wherever they liked to sit. Before Master Hand’s arrival, Smashers discussed about what the emergency was about. There were numerous responses but none were the correct one. As soon as they engaged in an argument, Master Hand appeared from the entry doors. The expression based on his fingers was emotionless and upset due to the news he received from Sonic.

“Master Hand” said the plumber with red and blue outfit worriedly. “What’s going on?”

“I’m afraid I have brought bad news for you all” Master Hand replied neutrally.

“Bad news?” added the anthropomorphic fox with a scope placed on his right eye as his eyes burrowed in confusion. “What kind of bad news?”

“This bad news revolves around the finalists.”

Just like that, the crowd fell silent like where someone received news about a tragedy on his or her family. Pit, in particular, was the most concerned and scared because it could have been Palutena. His heart was beating faster as Master Hand delayed the bad news. He thought to himself, “Don’t let it be Lady Palutena. Don’t….don’t….don’t.”

“What happened?” Fox continued but said it slowly.

“It is more of whom it happened to. I was informed that there was an incident at the training facility just moments ago. Inside, seven finalists were carrying one of their contestants to the hospital in which that individual suffered an injury in the abdomen. This individual was maimed in the virtual training room.”

“Damn” Fox cursed. “This happens after all eight fighters were confirmed for the final.”

“Indeed, it’s very coincidental.”

“Coincidental? It’s intentional if you ask me.”

“Who was the one that got hurt?” interrupted Mario.

“The one who was wounded is Palutena” Master Hand replied, revealing emotional distraught that surprised many fighters.

“NO!” Pit cried out, disbelieving everything Master Hand spoke about. He just ran off and headed towards the hospital. Master Hand said his name but Pit ignored it completely.

“I never seen him this upset” Mario said quietly.

“Considering that he works for Palutena, it is obvious plumber” Fox added politely.

“Enough about Pit, I’ll handle him once I depart to the hospital. Before all of you freak out, there is evidence supporting the perpetrator of this crime” Master Hand interrupted. With that Pit overheard it and decided to listen who was the one that maimed his goddess.

“Then I was right, it _is_ intentional” Fox blurted out.

“I just did not want to get this out of hand” Master Hand clenched his fist tightly.

“But who would do such a thing?”

“I cannot confirm if this is premeditation or not” he revealed the physical item which was Lucina’s Falchion. “This blade is what caused Palutena’s injury.”

The crowd was filled with noises, showing shock and horror that it was Lucina who had done it. The angel saw it and ran off to the hospital. Abhorrence rose from his conscious, and he wanted to take all of it and throw to the swordswoman. There were assumptions made against Lucina, but the one that grabbed attention was that she lost to Palutena and sought revenge against her. It was a negative reception.

“That damn clone” hollered the upset teammate of fox who threw his fists in the air. “She couldn’t handle the fact that she lost to Palutena?! That clone is such a sore loser. I don’t understand about that cl-“

“Don’t you dare say clone again birdman!” yelled infuriatingly by Robin.   

The entire crowd turned to Robin’s voice and saw her and Lucina standing at the edge of the hallway. Lucina appeared afraid as her arms were placed behind her back while her head was tilted downwards. She was a bit nervous about how everyone would act towards her. Robin stood up to her like how every loyal friend should be.

“Birdman?” responded in a question by Falco.

“That’s right; you don’t just assume that Lucina is a sore loser. You don’t even know what actually happened.”

“The evidence is clear, Robin. Why would Lucina be training with Palutena when her sword happened to hit through Palutena’s stomach? Considering the events of yesterday, it’s obvious.”

“You’re making an inference which is not equivalent to a fact.”

“I’m not making an inference; I’m saying the truth, and you’re just a dumb girl who belongs in-“

“If you continue to attack me, then I’m going to rip out your wings and make you cry like a little wuss you are.”

“Enough!” hollered Master Hand who seemed irritated by conflicting opinions. “We currently have a situation and you two just argue?!”

“Sorry, Master Hand, his words just provoked my anger” defended the female tactician.

“I’m just stating my opinions” said the bird that supported his side.

“Cease this” Master Hand demanded as he enhanced his words with a nonverbal gesture. “Lucina, you must come with me and depart to the hospital immediately.”

“Yes, Master Hand” obeyed Lucina as she walked towards Master Hand.

“Now, I do not want any of you exit this building until further notice, understand?”

Everyone complied with Master Hand, but some urged to spread the word in Smash City. The most notable one was Peach. She loved to gossip, but wasn’t afraid to talk about her own personal life. Master Hand and Lucina exited the building and headed towards the hospital. Once the two departed, everyone started discussing about the incident. The voices were ubiquitous; no one seemed to comprehend what one was saying to the other. Robin just stood where she was, hoping that everything will be alright. In her mind, she thought, “Why am I afraid about this? I’m a tactician. I have nothing to fear.”

Pit entered the hospital in an emotional stage. He felt a mix of sadness and anger that could burst out at any time. His condition was unstable, if you will. The emergency room was straight ahead from where he was standing. Down the hallway, he saw the remaining finalists sitting or standing near the emergency room. All of them were concerned and even fearful. Pit walked towards them in a frightened expression. He says to all of them, “Is Lady Palutena alright?”  

“She’ll be fine” responded Meta Knight steadily with his cape covering half of his mask. “We arrived in time so there shall be no worries.”

“I can’t believe I let my guard down. Lady Palutena could’ve have killed that that murderer.”

“Hold on there” interrupted Sonic who had one hand raised at shoulder level. “Lucina can’t be a murderer.”

“How would you know?!” Pit asked impertinently.

“I met her before the accident. She was a nice person; she even greeted me formally.”

“Explain why Lady Palutena is hurt!”

“I don’t know. I seriously have no clue.”

“Exactly! You don’t know anything because you’re just a hedgehog, not a human.”

“Woah, Pit, settle down. We don’t know for sure what happened.”

“YOU don’t know what happened.”

“Stop this nonsense” said Master Hand as he and Lucina walked towards the group. “First, the mansion happens and now this?! It’s absolutely atrocious.”

Everyone fell silent by Master Hand’s presence. No one said a word after Master Hand demanded them to cease the bickering. His power was that influential.

“You” Pit said in a soft yet menacing tone. His body, shaking slightly, was tense as he continued a daunting stare at Lucina. He charged at her with his bow, but people restrained him. He hollered, “You should be ashamed of yourself! Almost killing someone who is pure, it’s wrong for you to do such a thing.”

Lucina knew he would lash against her, so she tried to suppress it. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you because I-“

“’Sorry’ won’t fix everything. I don’t understand why you couldn’t accept a defeat.”

“Please, Pit, let me explain.”

“I don’t want to hear it, you stupid clone!”

“Pit, you must listen to Lucina’s side of the story” interrupted Master Hand. "If you decide to disobey me, I will punish you for disobedience. You can be removed from Smash and be sent to your world while Palutena remains here. Alone.”

Pit took time to muse about it. He didn’t want to leave Palutena by herself because something awful can happen to her. There was Dark Pit who can watch her, but he was skeptical about him. Besides from that, he enjoyed socializing all other Smashers and the times they spent here. It would be frittered away because of a single disobedience. After debating against himself, he finally agreed to Master Hand’s terms with a nod.

“Very good” said Master Hand who was satisfied that the white angel consented. “Lucina, you may present your side of the story.”

During Master Hand’s talk, she was a bit distraught by Pit’s name-calling. She shook off those emotions and began presenting her side of the story. “Thank you, Master Hand, I’ll try my best to accurately describe the incident.” She took a deep breath before explaining the accident. “I entered the facility in order to train my Smash fighting abilities. Then, Palutena walked up to me and asked if I wanted to train with her. I consented and joined her in the virtual training room, where I met Sonic. After he left, Palutena and I utilized the virtual simulation for a few trial runs. On one trial, I attacked Palutena, who shielded herself, with my shield breaker, which ended up me breaking her shield. She was unable to move her body, so I attempted to end the match with another shield breaker. Suddenly, the virtual simulation abruptly cancelled itself at the time when I released my attack. Palutena took the physical injury and I was in shock. I did not know what do because this situation never occurred to me before. Then, the finalists arrived and asked me questions, but I could not respond to them. I just panicked and ran off. That is what happened to Palutena.”

“It was an accident this entire time?” Pit asked for confirmation.

“Correct, it was all an accident.”

“Oh, man” Pit said regretfully. “I’m really sorry for accusing you like that. I’m also sorry that I tried to ignore your defense. Sorry.”

“It is okay” Lucina responded politely with a grin which Pit saw. “The situation appeared to be an intentional attack, but in actuality, it was not.” The two hugged, but Pit had his middle and index fingers on one hand crossed as a sign of double-cross.

The doors of the emergency room opened. A male Mii doctor walked towards the group showing no premature facial gestures that signaled a bad sign. Master Hand floated towards him once he stopped walking.

“Hello, doctor, how is Palutena’s condition currently?” asked Master Hand.

“First, hello, Master Hand and it’s a pleasure to meet you” the doctor replied. “Second, Palutena is fine. She has no severe injuries.”

Everyone showed some sign of relief. Greninja and Meta Knight smiled slightly as a way of being relieved that Palutena was okay. Sonic, Rosalina, Samus, Bowser, and Sheik had a more caring reaction like they placed one hand on their chest and took a deep breath or swiped their foreheads horizontally. Pit was tearing up and hugged whoever he found which would be Sonic. The hedgehog hugged him and patted his back. Lucina had both of her hands on her chest, took a deep breath, and smiled gratefully. She was glad that Palutena wasn’t severely maimed or even close to death.

“That’s some good news” Master Hand said happily. “How long will she completely recover from her injury?”

“Two weeks.” the doctor replied.

“Then, we may have to cancel the final.”

Suddenly, a burst of discontent and disagreement by the fighters rose around the ground floor of the hospital. Multiple voices were spoken simultaneously, and Master Hand couldn’t comprehend anyone’s opinion. He silenced the fighters by snapping his fingers. The sound from the fingers was loud enough to have the fighters to cease their talking.

“I understand that this match is important for all of you. I just don’t want one of our finalists to be at a detriment.”

“Think of all the fans” said first by Sonic who took one step forward. “They will be disappointed and frustrated to see that the final is cancelled. They’ll protest and blame you for a doing such a thing.”

“Also” said Bowser stepping forward and shocking some fighters that he was defending Sonic. “All of the money that was funded for the Smash tournament would be a waste. We spent all of our gold coins to register and to pay the fee for the mansion. You and the Smash association paid gold coins to construct new stages and other games. It would look like all those coins are frittered away with no final.”

There was a brief silence across the ground floor. No one could think of what to say because Sonic and Bowser got the main points in.

“Palutena will recover for two weeks” said Greninja who stepped in. “Once she does, she can begin training again. After that, we can have the final scheduled there, a week or two after Palutena’s recovery. Everyone including the fans would rather have a postponed final than a cancelled one.”

Master Hand reviewed the three defenses and was pleased to hear what they had said. Greninja’s justification surprised Lucina because she saw him as a cold, disrespectful being because of how he treated her. Now, she began to see the good side of Greninja and gained respect for him. Master Hand finally spoke and said, “After reviewing the defenses of Sonic, Bowser, and Greninja, I am convinced that the final should NOT be cancelled. It will be postponed, but no set date is confirmed however.”

The finalists were celebrating the victory of their case against Master Hand about the final. Sonic, Bowser, and Greninja were being congratulated and hugged by other finalists due to standing up for what they thought was right. Greninja walked up to Lucina inadvertently scaring her.

“Lucina, I do apologize for my cruel behavior towards you earlier. It was wrong for me to act like that towards a Smasher. I tend to have arrogance in myself and it rubs off in the wrong way. Can you forgive me?”

The bluenette was absolutely shocked to hear Greninja’s apology. A grin was expressed on her face and Greninja interpreted it as accepting his apology. She finally spoke and said, “Yes, I can forgive you for your behavior.”

The two shook hands, signaling a beginning of a good friendship. The doctor told everyone that they all can visit Palutena. Master Hand allowed the Smashers to do so. Obviously, Pit went first to see his goddess. The fighters couldn’t see what was happening, but they heard Pit crying with joy. Some found it cute while some found it funny. After Pit spent time with his goddess, the finalists came inside simultaneously. They told her that the final was postponed because of her. The greenette was glad to hear it and thanked them for their help. They departed and returned to the training facility in order to settle unfinished business. Lucina was the last one to go. Her heart was pumping hard with each step she took.  She still had the thought that Palutena was going to hate her for almost killing her. Now, her stomach was feeling nauseated. The anxiety was constantly punching her in the stomach to a point where the bluenette could physically vomit. She finally walked inside Palutena’s hospital room but closed her eyes and turned her head away from her crush’s presence. She stood near the exit, waiting for Palutena to say something negative towards her.

“Ah, Lucina, come closer to where I am” Palutena said nicely.

Lucina opened her eyes and shifted her head so she can see Palutena. She walked towards her slowly. Each step seemed like hours. She tried to avoid talking to her as much as possible.  Palutena didn’t seem to mind because she knew what Lucina was feeling right now. Once Lucina was close to Palutena, she sat down at a chair next to the bed and stood there awkwardly.

“Lucina” Palutena added quietly yet politely as well. “I know you’re frightened that I got hurt during our training. Those guys told me what happened. Don’t worry; I’m not upset at you at all. It was all an accident.”

“Oh, thank goodness” Lucina said with so much relief as her hands were on her chest. “I thought you were going to hate me for almost taking your life away.”

“What?!” replied playfully by the goddess. “I couldn’t hate you. You were never rude to me during our training.”

“Thank you so much for understanding and forgiving me.”

“No problem.”

“How do you feel when the final is postponed?” the bluenette asked after a brief silence.

“Honestly, I’m ambivalent about it.”

“Why is that?”

“I’m glad that the final is rescheduled, but at the same time, I’m scared that I won’t be fully prepared for the final.”

“Don’t say that. I know you will be ready for the final performing at your optimum level. Your skills are outstanding compared to others.”

“Aw, thanks for your kind words. You’re so cute when you support and care about others. So cute.”

Lucina blushed harshly and turned back away from Palutena. The compliment was really getting her because it made her extremely content. Her reddened face didn’t seem to diminish, and she just appreciated the compliment so much that her smile couldn’t go away.

“Did I make you uncomfortable?” asked Palutena. “If so I’m sorry for that.”

“Oh no, you didn’t make me uncomfortable” Lucina replied as she turned her face, which was still blushing, towards Palutena.

“Are you sure? Your cheeks are red.”

“What do you mean?” she asked awkwardly.

“Your reddened cheeks to me seem like you like my compliment.”

“Uh, I” the swordswoman stuttered with her words so badly that she felt that Palutena was on to her about something.

“Relax, I won’t go too far.”     

Lucina took a deep breath before answering back to Palutena. “That is a good thing. I became nervous for a moment.”

“Yeah, you did.”

Lucina remained in the room with Palutena for an extra hour. Their conversation became more personal as both females talked about where they came from, a bit about themselves, and some activities they enjoyed to do. The bluenette was savoring every moment spent with her like how every minute was a step closer to a stronger bond. Hopefully, she could have some courage to tell her that she really likes her. Once the hour was up, Lucina was asked to leave because visiting hours were done. She got up and stood at the doorway. Before exiting, Lucina stared at Palutena one last time and waved a goodbye. On her way to the mansion, she smiled continuously and thought of the goddess’s long emerald hair and her beautiful complexion.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A week had passed since Palutena’s accident. Her injury was improving significantly well since she barely felt any pain from it, considering she’s a goddess. Gods and goddesses must have faster and better recovery periods than all mortals. One more day remained before she was scheduled to be released from the hospital. Pit visited her every day, giving her flowers and chocolates as a sign of “get-well soon.” Dark Pit dropped by occasionally mainly because Pit dragged him. The two kept Palutena company and happy at the same time.

Lucina waited for the angels to finish their daily visit with their green-haired goddess. It took more time than she anticipated which she would not have been surprised by it. Once the two left, Lucina entered inside and met Palutena. A warm smile naturally came to her, causing Palutena to grin as well. The first thing Lucina mentioned was an apology for almost killing her even though Palutena said it was fine. For the past week, she apologized every day whenever she visited the goddess. After her unnecessary apologies, she and Palutena would talk about the Smash tournament and Smash tour. The more she talked to this goddess, the more she felt closer to her. The constant warming feeling she felt since the preliminary match did not go away whenever she was with Palutena. She couldn’t figure out what it was.

It was the day where Palutena was scheduled to exit the hospital. Lucina planned to arrive early at the hospital in order to see her again. Before she could touch the exit door of the mansion, Robin grasped her left arm and pulled her away from the door.

“Robin, what are you doing?” Lucina asked hinting a bit of anger in her tone.

“I’m here to help, duh” Robin gestured a facial expression that enhanced ‘duh.’

“Help me with what?”

“Palutena.”

“What do you mean by that?” She acted awkwardly towards Robin.

“I’m helping you to gain the courage to ask her out” the tactician revealed her true purpose at loud but no one heard it.

“Asking her out? That is preposterous; I couldn’t tell her to go on a date.” The bluenette turned away and became warm.

“Why not?” Robin, still holding Lucina’s left arm, walked towards two bean bags in the common area.

“It is just that…” Lucina paused herself from explaining why she did not want to ask Palutena for a date. “I am just fearful that Palutena would reject my offer for a date.”

“Um, no she won’t. You’ve been talking to her for the last week, and I know that you two had a good time together. Besides, you’re always nice to her, so that gives you a better chance.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I don’t think so; I know it. Come on, I’ll help you practice.”

“Practice with what?”

“Asking Palutena out for a date, Lucy. Come on, let’s go outside. We’ll practice there” Robin grabbed Lucina’s arm again and walked towards the mansion’s garden.

“Robin, how do you know that I was trying to ask out Palutena?”

“It’s obvious. I saw your face when you and Palutena were close to each other during that preliminary round. It gave it away, but no one saw it except me. Plus, you revealed to me that you like her.”

Lucina felt relieved yet strangely upset that Robin didn’t say a word for the last week. She also felt dumb for not realizing that she admitted feelings for the goddess to her friend. Now that she thought about it, she knew why she was acting strange towards Palutena. She liked her in a romantic way. The idea of asking the greenette out on a date was like her dream come true. It was good thing that no one mentioned about that for the past seven days due to speculation that the swordswoman planned to kill Palutena, which she found outrageous.   

The garden was behind the mansion. There were multiple flowers sprouting across the perimeter of the garden: daisies, orchids, and sunflowers were everywhere. Arcs were on three pathways: left, middle, and right. Each one appeared like a maze, all leading to the center of the garden. In the center, there was a two-tier fountain. Water was coming out from specific holes, enhancing the beauty of the garden. The two sat there in preparation for Lucina to ask Palutena on a date.

“Ready?” asked Robin.

“I suppose so” answered Lucina.

Robin began to imitate Palutena as the best as she can. She took a deep breath while placing her left arm vertically in front of her face. It took quite some time for her to act as Palutena. Lucina at first felt uncomfortable because she’d never asked someone out on a date before, particularly a female deity.

“Alright, I’m ready” Robin placed down her left arm.

“Proceed” answered Lucina.

“Hello, Lucina” the tactician imitated Palutena inaccurately as she whipped her grey hair flirtatiously. “How are you today?”

“I am fine today” the bluenette felt a little awkwardness in her tone. “What about you?”

“Aw, thanks for asking me, honey. I had a spectacular day today. First, I went to buy new clothes, which looked so awesome on me. Then, I ate at this exquisite restaurant in Smash City where the food is so perfect in flavor and appetite. Next-“

“This is not how Palutena would act towards me” Lucina interrupted Robin.

“Girl, you just ruined the best part during my Palutena impersonation” Robin playfully yelled back Lucina. “Now, the flow is gone. Nice going, Lucina.”

“It’s not my fault that you are not performing well in imitating Palutena.”

“Relax, I was just joking.”

“Oh, well can you at least imitate Palutena more realistically?”

“Fine” Robin replied half-heartedly as her eyes rolled over.

Pit entered into Palutena’s hospital room holding a bouquet of flowers on his right hand. He appeared extremely content that his goddess was almost ready to exit the hospital. A smile came from Palutena’s face, enjoying another collection of Pit’s flowers. He walked up to the side of her bed, presented his flowers, and said, “For you, Lady Palutena.”

“Aw, thank you, Pit. You’re always so kind to bring me flowers…for every single day since I was in the hospital” Palutena replied happily first but then to being a little irritated during her pause.

“It’s at least what I can do after what Lucina did to you” Pit’s hands began to stiffen since he was still upset that the swordswoman injured Palutena even though it was clearly an accident.

“Pit, Lucina had no intention of killing me. Besides, she consistently apologizes to me whenever she’s here.”

“But Lady Palutena-“

“No buts Pit.”

“Okay, sorry Lady Palutena” Pit said with sadness which caused the goddess to feel some guilt.

“It’s fine…I was just a bit upset. Please forgive my outburst of anger towards you.”

“Of course, Lady Palutena, I can never be upset at you.”

Palutena chuckled and Pit did the same as well. He remained in the room for an hour where he talked about Dark Pit’s secret admirer. He was uncertain about who was Dark Pit’s admirer because Pittoo would rudely talk back. The dark-winged doppelgänger even threatened his white-winged counterpart with his weapon as a means of killing him. Now, Palutena became curious about Dark Pit’s love life. She considered talking to Pittoo about it, but that was a terrible idea to muse about. After their interesting conversation, Pit shifted the topic to the tournament final.

Hours have passed since Robin assisted Lucina in asking Palutena out for a date. It got worse because the tactician was more critical and offensive every time Lucina said something wrong or how she said it was incorrect. Lucina was now more stressed and nervous than ever before. The more criticism Robin made, the more frustration the bluenette had against her. Lucina really wanted to ask out Palutena with all of her heart, but Robin was making it a bigger deal than it should be. She almost snapped at some points where she would literally assault Robin but refrained from doing so. One more criticism from the female tactician could completely snap her. However, she left for a brief moment, only to obtain some water since she and Lucina were dehydrated from constant talking.

A plegian robed person walked into the garden and saw Lucina who looked infuriated. Worried about his friend, he approached and sat down next to her. He said to her, “Is there a problem? You seem upset.”

“YES, I AM UPSET” Lucina snapped back at Avatar. Her face was daunting and surprised him. “YOUR SISTER IS DRIVING ME INSANE!”

“Woah, calm down, Lucina” Avatar gestured his hands, signaling the blunette to relax. “I’m sure Robin cannot be that insane.”

“Really? Is criticizing every stutter that I make insane? Is condemning my failure to speak to Palutena at a ‘perfect’ tone insane? Is it insane that Robin stops me whenever I said a certain word incorrectly? Tell me, Avatar, how is that not completely bizarre?!”

“Seriously, she makes negative comments on every single thing you do, even the smallest thing?” The brother seemed surprised and confused at the same time. He thought it was full of baloney, and this was coming from an honest woman he knew.

“YES!” Lucina exclaimed infuriatingly before calming her psyche down. “I just do not know what to do.”

“Asking Palutena out on a date?”

Lucina’s body was frozen solid, absolutely stunned to hear that Avatar knew Lucina’s crush was Palutena. She replied, “How did you know that I was planning to ask out Palutena on a date?”

“A tactician is always three steps ahead” Avatar playfully answered back to Lucina.

“Damn it, Avatar, that’s not humorous. Tell me the truth.”

“It was never meant to be funny. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you. I noticed your facial expression towards Palutena in the preliminary round. The way your face reddened when you gazed the goddess’s eyes was the strongest giveaway. Also, my sister told me about this.”

“You and your sister are so alike.”

“Funny, but nevertheless, I think asking out Palutena is sweet.”

“Do you really mean that?” Lucina asked in a way that the tone of her voice made her vulnerable.

“Of course” Avatar said supportively. “If presumably you two get along well, then you two can make a good couple together.”

“Thank you so much, Avatar” Lucina hugged her friend tightly as if she wanted comfort for just a moment.

“Hey, that’s what friends are for, am I right?”

“Lucina, that’s enough for your break, it’s time to get to work” Robin commanded Lucina, pretending to be her superior. She gave her friend a bottle of water and noticed that her brother was sitting next to her. “Oh, what’s up bro?”

“Lucina has been informing me that you’ve been overly critical to her” Avatar said with his lower lip barely quivering, afraid of his sister may lash at him.

“I’m not being overly critical…I’m evaluating and perfecting Lucina’s tone, speed, and body language. Can’t a woman help another woman ask out a fine lady in the most perfect way possible?” Robin replied, denying the fact that she was being too harsh on Lucina.

“Yes, you are” the bluenette added in place of Avatar. “Robin, I know you want to help me, but you are being excessively harsh to me for each mistake that I make. You’re lowering my confidence level, and there were times where I almost snapped and could have attacked you, but I didn’t. You should know that I’m not a perfect person, and I will make mistakes. That doesn’t mean I can fail. I should just be myself for this. Please, Robin, understand what I have said to you because, in all honesty, I still want your assistance in asking Palutena out on a date.”

“Wow” Robin said, impressed by Lucina’s assertiveness. She applauded her by clapping her hands and grinning at her with a beautiful smile. “That’s what I’m talking about, Lucina.”

“What? I do not understand what is happening right now.”

“That’s what all you need to do, Lucy, have confidence and say what you really want to say. I felt your tone and body language, and it is great.”

“All this time, my only requirement is to have confidence. Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?!”

Avatar chuckled, trying not to burst out a huge laughter so he wouldn’t upset Lucina. He was expecting her to be a bit dumbfounded and wanted to laugh loudly, but that would be rude and disrespectful to a friend. His chuckle ceased and remained silent, but his lips were pierced inwards, just trying to not laugh.

“I wanted you to learn by doing something before actually understanding it, if that makes any sense” Avatar’s sister replied, walking towards Lucina and standing in front of her at a comfortable distance. Lucina shook her head, signaling a ‘no’ response which Robin would have anticipated. She added, “My point is that you should learn things by yourself. I was just guiding you there, hoping you would understand. I almost succeeded, but at least you now know how to ask out Palutena.”

“You are right. Thank you, Robin for helping me with this” Lucina hugged Robin tightly just as she did with Avatar earlier.

“Anytime, Lucy” Robin replied and hugged Lucina back. “Now, you’re ready.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I’m confident that she’ll say ‘yes’.”

“That’s great, but when I should I do it?”

“Whenever you feel is right.”

Lucina spent the rest of the day practicing what she wanted to say to Palutena on the day she got out of the hospital. As time flew by, the anxiety built on her with every minute gone. She remained in her room throughout the day, only leaving her room to consume food. During those two break periods, Lucina continued to practice her words but through thought rather than spoken words. She ate quickly just so she could have more time to rehearse.

The day where Palutena was scheduled to exit the hospital fully recovered arrived. Pit waited for his goddess to come out of her room. He held another bouquet of flowers and brought a box of chocolates from Smash City. His heart pounded hard as the outside noise had been cancelled out by his ears. He began to grow impatient right as the door opened slowly, creating a bit of tension for Pit. He saw Palutena with a doctor who told her that she should rest for another week before training so there won’t be any problems. Palutena thanked the doctor and waved a goodbye. She turned to Pit who had tears in his eyes.

Without the two knowing, the swordswoman entered the hospital, hoping to meet Palutena alone but was too late; she saw the white angel with gifts for his goddess and stood there contemplating what to do in this situation. It was rather difficult because she felt that Pit still had a grudge against her for nearly killing Palutena even though he apologized for it. She walked forward as Robin’s voice echoed dramatically, telling her to get closer to the greenette. Halfway between the two and the exit door, Lucina stopped walking and was uncertain if she should talk to her immediately. It was too late for her as the goddess noticed Lucina and waved, “Lucina, come here.”

She resumed approaching towards them. Pit was a bit agitated by her presence. He failed to figure out why Lucina was constantly visiting Palutena much like him.

“Hello, Palutena and Pit, how are you two today?” asked Lucina, grinning at the two.

“I’m feeling better. I have one more week left before training again” replied the tall woman with a smile.

“I’m good” Pit dully answered to Lucina.

The goddess became upset that her angel disrespectfully responded to Lucina’s question, but she prevented herself from telling Pit to say his response in a nicer tone. She added, “What brings you here, Lucina?”

“I am here to finally see you be released from this hospital” the bluenette was prepared to reply any questions that her crush may ask.

“Aw, thanks for coming here, but Pit told me that we’re returning to the mansion. I’m sorry if I had to waste your time by walking here then immediately return to the mansion.”

“Oh, that is not frittering my time. I need to walk more anyways.” Lucina felt uncomfortable at her own joke.

Palutena giggled at Lucina’s attempted humor while Pit kept a straight face. The three exited the mansion and returned to the mansion. During the walk, Pit made quick cold stares at Lucina, which she didn’t notice. He decided to keep conversation only for him and Palutena. The swordswoman felt uneasy since she just listened to the conversation as if she was just there. Even when they were at the entrance, Lucina failed to talk to Palutena because Pit was in the way. Inside the mansion, the ground floor was completely dark, which was unusual since it was broad daylight.

“Pit, stop, the mansion is dark. We have to take caution” Palutena said cautiously.

“That won’t be necessary, Lady Palutena” Pit replied strangely to his goddess.

“SURPRISE!” exclaimed every single Smasher as the lights were turned on. A surprise party was made to celebrate Palutena’s release from the hospital and improvement of her injury. She was very surprised to see that this party was for her.

“Pit, did you do this for me?” Palutena said, almost having tears of joy.

“Of course, I did. It’s my way of welcoming you back to the mansion” Pit replied contently, preparing for his goddess to hug her, which she did. She had some tears in her eyes and thanked Pit for doing all of this just for her. “So, I take this as a sign of happiness?”

“Of course, I’m happy” She laughed and continued to hug Pit.

“Awesome, let’s celebrate!”

The entire group of Smashers enjoyed a relaxing party: sitting down and talking to friends with food and drinks. It was just a social gathering like any other. Almost everyone was enjoying the small party except for Lucina. Her plan to ask out Palutena on a date seemed to have taken a delay. It was a long, dark cave where the light was extremely distant from her.  She never expected this to happen despite knowing that Pit cared about Palutena just as much as she did.

During the party, Lucina remained on a chair, rarely talking to anyone except Robin. She asked many times to Robin on what to do with Palutena. In response, Robin kept smacking the back of Lucina’s head, scolding her for asking help despite that she could do it herself. The tactician reminded her to ask the goddess when the time was right. The bluenette instantly agreed and just went through the party how she liked it: talking with friends only from her world and relaxing. Unfortunately, she did not enjoy the party fully. Whenever there was a chance to talk to Palutena, Pit would get in the way, refusing to let anyone to speak with his goddess except with people he trusted. It was upsetting Lucina, but she did not want to cause a scene. For nearly two hours, she declined to have a small talk with people, including her own ancestor. They had a negative perception of Lucina and left without calling her names.

When the party was over, everyone said their last words of get well soon to Palutena except Lucina. They either went to their rooms or hung outside of the mansion. Pit made a huge speech to his goddess on a wish to get well and tips on a faster recovery. In response, she grinned and was amused to see her angel boy giving advice to a goddess. Lucina groaned impatiently and had the urge to push Pit out of the way. She managed to restrain herself, and Pit was suddenly finished talking. Lucina immediately looked up, saw Pit head upstairs, and blew a huge sigh of relief that he was gone. Now she can finally make her move before losing her opportunity on doing so. Robin hid in the hallway, attempting to hear Lucina talk to Palutena.

“Palutena” Lucina said a bit nervously. “That was an adequate party, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yeah, it was” Palutena chuckled before responding to the bluenette.

“At least you had everyone to support you on recovering your injury.”

“Definitely, looks like I’m going to rest in my room, so I’ll see you some other time then” she waved a goodbye to Lucina and walked towards the elevator.

“Wait.”

Palutena turned back, confused on what was going to happen. “What is it?”

“Um” Lucina began anxiously. Her heart was pounding, fearful that her crush was going to decline the date. She had to speak up; otherwise, she would not know what was going to occur. Her tone changed to a bit of confidence and said “I was thinking that you and I should get together and go somewhere to eat this week.”

“Sure, I would love to hang with you” Palutena responded, misinterpreting Lucina’s message.

“Actually, I do not mean hanging out with you as a friend, I mean to go on a date with you” she squinted her eyes tightly, afraid of the goddess’s reaction.

The green-haired goddess was astonished to hear that a female mortal just asked her on a date. She widened her eyes at first then contemplated about it. _Wow, a woman asks me out on a date. It’s unbelievable and weird simultaneously. Should I say ‘yes’ or ‘no’? Lucina’s been so nice to me though, but I always thought mortals are silly. So tough to choose._

After what felt like an eternity, Lucina spoke up and said, “You do not have to say ‘yes’. I know it is awkward that I am asking you now, so if you decline, I understand. I will not mention it aga-“

“Yes” Palutena finally replied.

“Yes?” Lucina asked for confirmation, getting excited to hear a positive response.

“I said ‘yes’. Sure, I’ll go out with you. I think it’ll be fun.”

“You really mean that?”

“Of course, pick me up at my room, which is 3A, on Friday at 5pm. It’ll be obvious because my name is written all over the door. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Lucina felt a little blush coming from her face, exuberant that the emerald-haired deity agreed to go on a date. She said, “I’ll be there at 5pm, do not worry about it.”

“Great, I’ll see you then” Palutena waved a goodbye and headed to her room. Lucina couldn’t help but smile and sequel to herself. Once she made that sound, Robin appeared out of nowhere and cheered with Lucina, who did not seem to mind at all.

“Oh my god, Lucy, you did it” Robin exclaimed happily for her friend as she jumped up and down giddily. “I knew you could do it.”

“Thank you and I still cannot believe she said yes” Lucina replied, fixing her hair after a celebration of herself. “Now, I have to prepare myself for this date. I wonder what I should wear.”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll help you.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Um, yeah, because I care about you, Lucy, besides it’s time to tip the scales!”       


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lucina finally had the courage to ask out Palutena on a date. Now the two are meeting in three days. She still did not believe that a beautiful, green-haired goddess actually agreed to go on a date with her. The thought of it caused her to stay awake the night she asked out her crush. She barely got any sleep, making her extremely drowsy. Robin and Avatar noticed and told the bluenette to get some deep sleep before shopping for clothing for date night.

The goddess entered the dining hall from the kitchen. She didn’t get much for breakfast as she wasn’t very hungry. Rather, she was quite nervous because she couldn’t figure out how to tell Pit that she was asked out by a woman.

“Finally, you’re not with my annoying doppelgänger” said a dark angel as he sat next to Palutena with his breakfast.

“There’s nothing wrong being with Pit. He’s a caring person” replied Palutena, defending Pit for his constant appearance around the goddess.

“Sure, I’ll agree on that” Dark Pit said back sarcastically.

Palutena pouted and took a bite of her food. Dark Pit did the same, making him chuckle. The green-haired goddess began to feel nervous disclosing about her date with the blue-haired swordswoman. Her heart pounded like a drum, causing her to breathe through her nose more frequently. Pittoo didn’t even notice and casually ate his meal. Both finished their breakfast without speaking to each other. The black-winged angel finally decided to initiate a conversation and said, “So, what’s going on with you right now?”

 “If I tell you, will you not tell anyone, especially Pit?” she asked seriously.

“I guess so” Dark Pit replied to his goddess’s question, laughing a little from it. “What secret do you want to tell me about? Did you do something bad?”

“No, it’s not a heinous act. It’s something you wouldn’t expect fro-“

“You hooked up with one of the finalists, didn’t you?”

“It’s not one of the finalists. I didn’t even say it.”

“Come on, tell me now. I’m already curious about who it is.”

“You assume it is with someone instead of what happened?”

“Nevertheless, it involves with someone. Stop wasting time and te-“

“Lucina asked me out on a date.”

“Woah, wait, huh?” he tilted his head sideways in confusion with what Palutena just said to him.

“Lucina asked me on a date and I said yes.”

“Well, well, well, since when did you become a lesbian?” Dark Pit teased his goddess with a smirk on his face.

“Be quiet, Pittoo,” Palutena playfully tapped the black-winged angel hard on his shoulder. “I’m not a lesbian…yet.”

“So, you’re suggesting that you might be?”

“I honestly don’t know anymore.”

Pittoo chuckled for brief moment as his eyes were shut and head tilted sideways. “Well, if you really want what I actually feel about this, then I’ll tell you.”

“Please do so.”

“Okay, well, I didn’t expect you to date a mortal, a female mortal, as a matter of fact. However, I’m fine that you’re going on a date with Lucina.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, because I’m not Pit, so I’ll say the opposite of what he would actually say.”

“Oh, thank you, Pittoo” she happily hugged Dark Pit, which made him feel uncomfortable. “Thanks for supporting Lucina and I.”

“Yeah, sure” he awkwardly responded. “Now, why did you want to date Lucina?”

“I said yes because she was so nice to me whenever we’re together. I didn’t want to make her feel sad if I said no.”

“Well, a divine being caring about a mortal’s feelings, I see.”

“Stop it, Pittoo!” she pushed him back, causing him to nearly fall off his chair.

“What? Can’t someone play around for a little bit?”

“If it’s not me, then you can.”

“I was just having fun.”

“Then it’s my turn to have fun against you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’ve been told that you are romantically interested in someone, a person whom you have a crush on” Palutena then placed a smirk on her face as a sign of payback.

“Where the hell did you hear that?!” Dark Pit’s face tensed up and became upset. “Who told you that?! WHO?! Was it that stupid doppelganger of mine?! It was him, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it was Pit, but it’s okay though. I won’t tell anyone about it.”

“Damn right you better. I’m going to rip his disgusting head off and feed it to Donkey Kong if I have to” he stormed off the dining hall and attempted to find Pit. He knew he shouldn’t disclose the white-winged angel about the girl he liked because he would speak about it like a gossip person.

In Smash City, Robin and Lucina were heading towards a shopping center in preparation for Lucina’s date. The building was three stories high with each section being different from others. The ground floor consisted of a grocery section and a food court. The second floor contained only clothing, and the third floor encompassed items for housing, sports, or computer-related technology. The two women went up to the second floor by stairs and went to the first store they saw, which had casual clothes.

“Ready?” Robin asked excitingly to Lucina.

“I am prepared but a little nervous” responded the female swordfighter.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to help you with this.”

“I hope so. Guide me through this.”

 “Gladly” the female tactician walked to a section and grabbed a shirt and short as if she knew what clothes Lucina should wear. She gave her selected clothes to her with a little smile. “Here’s a shirt and a short. Try them on.”

“Understood” Lucina didn’t fully examine the clothes and went to a fitting room. It took some time before Lucina wore both of them. When coming out of the fitting room, she was displeased with the choice her friend made. It was a short-sleeve shirt that revealed part of her cleavage while her shorts were very short. “THERE IS NO WAY THAT I’M WEARING THIS TO MY DATE!”

“Oh, come on, you need to impress and show off your sexiness to Palutena” Robin defended herself jokingly.

“I refuse to look like this.”

“Ugh, fine, you pick then.”

Lucina proceeded to search for clothes that she found appropriate. She was picky since she saw many clothes that appeared inappropriate to her. They were shorts and shirts that have sizes similar to what Robin picked. It took some time before Lucina found a long-sleeve shirt that didn’t reveal cleavage and a pair of pants. She wore them and thought it was better than the first choice. “Robin, this type of clothing is more apt to wear, instead that prostitute outfit you made me try on.”

“I disagree. My choice was a date-worthy outfit.”

“No, it is not. It sends the wrong message.”

“You’re hilarious, Lucy.”

“Can you at least tell me what you think about this outfit?”

“Well, if you want my opinion, then it is better than my first choice, but I think we should check out more clothes in other store before choosing the right one.”

“I agree. This is not the best, but it is a start. Besides, there isn’t any other good clothing in this store. We should leave and head to another one.”

“Then let’s go.”

The two exited the store unsatisfied and walked towards another clothing store that also sold casual outfits. Lucina found nothing good since many of them were considered to her inappropriate. The colors that she wanted to wear were not available, so she went to next store and the next one and found nothing. She and Robin went to all but one clothing store. It was Lucina’s last chance to get good clothes or bust. Inside this particular store, the daughter of Chrom experienced the same situation as before. She thought that her normal clothing at her room would be exceptional until she spotted a pair of black pants and a blue blouse. It seemed that it was the most perfect outfit since there weren’t any parts of the blouse that revealed anything sexual. The bluenette proceeded to try them on in the fitting room. When she came out, Robin’s jaw dropped down as a way of reacting to Lucina’s outfit.

“It’s amazing” was all Robin could say as she had some water in her eyes.

“Do you mean that?” Lucina asked with uncertainty.

“Duh,” she replied playfully. “You definitely have to wear that for your date.”

“Alright, I’m going to purchase these clothes.”

“Good, you’ll need it.”

The swordswoman bought the clothes she wanted and brought them to her room. She protected them as if they were sacred treasures. Throughout the rest of the day, Lucina took some time to let her mind go free by training at the facility with her date and Sonic. It was a better day in the building than the previous encounter, and she improved her fighting skills as she beat those two finalists once. She and the blue hedgehog began a good friendship since Sonic was one of the few finalists to treat Lucina as an equal. He even complimented the blue-haired woman on her major improvement in smash fighting.

The day has finally arrived. Lucina thought this day would never come because it felt like years. Her date with Palutena was about to happen. Ten minutes remained before the female swordfighter headed towards Palutena’s room. Lucina was dressed in her blue blouse shirt and black pants, getting ready for the date. Her purse was on her right shoulder, containing her wallet. She double-checked everything before leaving her room. When she left, she saw Sonic with a tennis racket. Both of their eyes met and walked towards each other.

“Hey, Lucina,” said calmly by the blue hedgehog. “Why are you dressed up so nicely? Got a date?”

“Yes, mister Sonic,” Lucina replied comfortably. “I am going on a date.”

“With whom? Is it Shulk?”

“No way, I’m not on a date with Shulk” she had a bit of a negative expression when saying Shulk.

“Is there a problem with him?”

“He keeps saying his ‘I’m really feeling it’ quote. It sickens me” her face was filled with disgust, just thinking about it made her cringe.

“I see. Wait,” Sonic thought of the person who was perfect for Lucina. “It’s Meta Knight, isn’t it?”

“What?! Ridiculous! I am not dating Meta Knight” Lucina denied as if she actually had a crush on him.

“Really, I thought you were? I mean, you and Meta Knight would be perfect for each other” the hedgehog scratched his head, feeling awkward about the conversation.

“No, Sonic, it’s someone else. You happen to know this particular person because that person is in the finals with you” Lucina attempted to give a hint to Sonic.

“Someone I know in the finals” Sonic placed his index and thumb on his chin, contemplating whom the person might be. “Lemme see…I don’t see Bowser or Greninja being the one. Meta Knight is out of the question. Sheik is Zelda and she’s into Link, so that’s not it. Samus rarely talks to anyone, including me, so that’s probably not it. Rosalina is a stretch, but I think it might be her. Is it?”

“No, no, no, it’s Palutena!” she hollered at Sonic, bursting out anger due to his failure to figure who Lucina was dating. “I’m going on a date with Palutena! Sonic, I cannot believe you picked all fighters except her!”

“Sorry, Lucina, I didn’t know” he felt bad for Lucina’s anger. “I never expected you to date her. Now that I think about it, it’s pretty awesome that you and Palutena are going on a date.”

“I apologize for my impertinent behavior” Lucina felt guilty for being rude to the blue anthropomorphic hedgehog. “But do you really mean that?”

“Hey, don’t feel guilty over it, Lucina” a smile was expressed by Sonic. “You seem nervous about this date, so I can understand that. Just have fun.”

“Thank you, blue hedgehog” Lucina gave a quick hug to Sonic and pulled back. “May I ask where are you heading this evening?”

“I’m going to a sports complex and play tennis with Mario and his gang. It’ll be fun.”

“You are a finalist” the bluenette appeared confused since she believed that all finalists focus only on training. “How come you are playing a sport with Mario and his companions? You could possibly get injured before the Smash finals.”

“That won’t happen. Besides, don’t you know how fast I am? No sport can be fast enough to hurt me.”

“I do not quite understand, but I’ll trust you. I hope you win your match.”

“Thanks! Enjoy your date with Palutena” Sonic walked away as he spoke to Lucina in a calm, cool tone.

“I will.”

“Oh, I forgot to say one more thing” Sonic paused himself and turned around to face the female swordfighter with an honest grin. “You and Palutena can make a cute couple.”

Lucina’s face reddened a bit as she thought of her and Palutena together as a couple. She desired for that to happen, but she was afraid it may not happen. Sonic turned around and left for his tennis game. The blue swordswoman walked down a corridor as the red carpet complimented the orange walls. At the end of the hallway, there was one more corridor on the left where Palutena’s room was located. It appeared further away than usual. Every step Lucina took felt like years. Her vision began to blur and heart pounded faster than a speed of sound. She finally reached to her date’s door. Her right fist was inches away from touching it. The thought of not having this date came to her mind, and she pulled back and turned away. Then a sound of a door opening crept up into Lucina’s ear, causing her to face in front of Palutena’s room. Such convenience.   

“Lucina,” Palutena emerged from her room with a purple shirt and blue pants. She smiled at Lucina’s outfit and responded, “You look so nice today.”

“Thanks, you look amazing as well” smiled the blue-haired swordswoman. “Are you ready to go to our first date?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

“I made a dinner reservation for the two of us at 5.”

“Oh, that’s sweet of you. Let’s get going now.”

The two left the mansion and headed towards Smash City. Since Palutena didn’t know where the dinner was, Lucina led the way, which wasn’t a problem. She walked faster than usual, making the goddess uncomfortable as if she wanted this date to go perfectly in her way.

At last, the restaurant was in front of them. It appeared to be some fancy dining cuisine, but the food wasn’t all expensive or exotic at all. Luckily, customers were wearing casual clothes, so the two females wouldn’t feel awkward. Inside they were greeted by a gentleman who led the two ladies to their seats. He gave them menus and left for a brief moment.

“So, Lucina” Palutena asked while looking at her menu. “What are you planning to get?”

“I am stuck between a chicken salad and a turkey sandwich” replied the bluenette who was still deciding to pick her meal. “What about you, Palutena?”

“I’m thinking of getting a cheeseburger with fries” Palutena looked at the picture of her choice and can already taste it figuratively. “It just looks so good.”

“But, isn’t it unhealthy for you? Besides, the final is next week. You should not consume grease and fat.”

“Oh, relax, it won’t that bad, honey.”

Lucina froze for a moment and blushed. Hearing the word, “honey”, made her smile as if their relationship was something more. “I understand” was all she said.

“Good evening ladies” said the gentleman who led them to their tables. He had a formal white shirt buttoned with a red tie around the neck. In addition, he wore a black vest, making him look more professional. He held a small notepad, meaning he was ready to take the greenette and bluenette’s order. “Welcome to the ‘Smashing Taste’. And may I take your orders, ladies?”

Palutena was the first one to speak on what order she wanted. “I would like a Smash Bros. burger with fries, please.”

“Would you like any drinks?”

“An orange soda would be lovely.”

“You got it” The waiter turned to Lucina for her order. “And what will you have this evening?”

“I’ll just have the turkey sandwich, please” the swordswoman rushed herself, feeling like Palutena would get impatient.

“Any drinks?”

“Just water” Lucina placed her menu on the table facing up.

“Alright, I’ll take your menus, and you’re order will served when ready” the waiter left, placing his menus on the cashier table.

Palutena and Lucina sat awkwardly, having nothing to talk about. The goddess could talk about anything, but she wanted Lucina to have a chance. Seeing the swordswoman looking away as if she was avoiding a turn in initiating a conversation, she decided to start one. “The Smash final is close. Nervous?”

“I…it’s the most trending topic now” Lucina replied robotically. Her body temperature rose and her sweat began to appear from her hairline. “You can win it, Palutena.”

“You’re so sweet. These finalists are strong competitors. Their journey to the final is pretty fascinating.”

“I know how everyone made it…except for Bowser.”

“How so?” Palutena appeared surprised since the bluenette would watch all fighters battle against each other and assess them.

“I…don’t want to talk about it. It’s something personal to me that I refuse to disclose to” Lucina turned back, refraining her anger and tears from coming out.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, but do you want to tell you what happened with Bowser’s victory?”

“Yes, please.”

The stage was at Mario Galaxy, specifically at the grassy planet, home to Rosalina and the lumas. It was between Bowser, the no-hope, and Diddy Kong who was the favorite to defeat the koopa king. Bowser had more damage percentage than DK’s nephew by 50 percent. He ran towards the primate, buy Diddy Kong threw a banana peel in front of the turtle. In response, Bowser evaded, but the monkey leaped towards Bowser and grabbed his face. He smacked and kicked the large koopa, making him stumble. Diddy’s speed was too fast for Bowser to handle. Then, Bowser’s percentage was nearly 130; Diddy’s was 75. Mario’s nemesis took many deep breathes, exposing his vulnerability. Diddy arrogantly was telling his fans through nonverbal communication to cheer for him as he dealt the final blow. He charged up a double punch. When he released it, Bowser was above him, creating one of the biggest mistakes a Smash fighter had done: wasting their time by premature celebration. The koopa king performed his Bowser Bomb, but Diddy used his shield, which reduced its volume significantly. Bowser quickly blew out flames from his mouth. Because the little kong couldn’t move and used his shield for too long, he became dizzy, exposing his vulnerability. An unexpected twist occurred with the koopa king; he began speaking as a sports commentator, particularly in football (soccer). “Bowser is ready to take the free-kick. It’s all for the marbles; it’s a go big or go home situation. Can he finish the game with the win?”

“Go papa!” exclaimed happily by Bowser’s son. He could not hold his excitement any longer. “Finish him!”

Bowser began to charge up his smash attack. When he released his attack that had his legs in a horizontal manner, he shouted, “He shoots.” His opponent was sent flying at an incredible velocity. A blue flash appeared in front of King Koopa and the audience. Master Hand spoke in a tone that no one heard before. “Game.” He was just absolutely shocked as if someone he knew and loved passed on. “The winner is Bowser.”

“Goal!” Bowser ran around the stage, celebrating his victory like how football players react when scoring a goal. He then shouted “Goal!” in Spanish language numerous times, just to bring laughter from his fans.

Diddy Kong felt ashamed because he did not meet his expectations of reaching the final and winning it. He had to hold his head up high and offered Bowser a handshake as a sign of sportsmanship. The spiked turtle shook the monkey’s hand and said, “Good match.”

Lucina seemed bewildered when her date said that Bowser pretended to be a sport commentator and fought as a fighter at the same time. She tried to figure out why the large koopa actually did that. “I still don’t understand Bowser’s behavior.”

“It’s simple,” replied the goddess as she placed her burger on her plate. “He knew he was going to win, so he tried to be funny by imaging himself in a football game. He copied Diddy Kong’s premature celebration for his own and used it against him.”

“Embarrassing an opponent like that is disrespectful.”

“You should lighten up, Lucina, it’s pretty funny.”

“How is it humorous? It displays that Bowser had no respect for Diddy Kong, and he embarrasses him in such a horrific manner.”

Palutena couldn’t take Lucina seriously, so she laughed, which made the bluenette a bit angry. “Lucina, you have to stop taking things seriously and laugh at things once in a while.”

“I’ll try” Lucina thought of Bowser’s fake football scenario and managed to laugh about it. “It is pretty funny now that I think about it.

“I’m glad to hear that” Palutena took another bite of her burger and sipped her drink.

Throughout their dinner, Palutena and Lucina had learned about each other better. There were laughs and smiles that made the date more exciting than boring. The bluenette kept her distance by not arrogantly talking about herself or looking at her watch and phone too often. Once the two finished their foods, they paid the bill separately. Lucina insisted that she cover everything, but the greenette told her to not to because she was doing too much. Outside the restaurant, the sun began to set down creating an orange sky.

“Today was a great date; I had a good time with you” Lucina said to imply that the date will cease soon. “It’s getting late.”

“Oh, Lucina, it’s not even dark yet” refuted the greenette. “There are so many things we can do before midnight.”

“Like what?” asked the bluenette who seemed baffled by Palutena’s suggestion.

“Ooh, do you like to bowl?”

“Bowling? I have never played that sport before.”

“Great, let’s go there. I’ll teach you.”

Palutena grabbed Lucina’s hand ran bolted towards a bowling center called “Smash Pins.” Inside the building, there was a disco ball in the center of the building that radiated harmless light rays ranging in color. The counter was on the left of the two ladies while the bowling balls were on the right. In addition, there were numerous lanes, possibly containing over fifty. The two rented shoes and a lane. Luckily, it was an all-you-can bowl day, so the price was fairly good. Their lane was 36, and Palutena prepared the game on a computer device.

“This is going to be fun” said the greenette in an exuberant tone.

“I hope so” replied the less enthusiastic swordswoman.

“You should loosen up” Palutena handed her date a blue bowling ball. “I’ll teach you.” She grabbed a green bowling ball and stood on the five black dots located on the lane. “I prefer to stand on the second black dot. Then I run a bit and roll the ball straight. Simple” The ball took down all ten pins, rewarding a strike.

“It doesn’t look simple to me” Lucina replied, feeling nervous and pessimistic about herself. “What if I don’t take down any pins?”

“You’ll learn, or I can help you.”    

Lucina copied Palutena’s move and bowled her ball for the first time, and the result was not good. She got a gutter ball, which the greenette expected since the bluenette had never bowled in her life. A disappointing expression came out of Lucina’s face, and she covered her face with both hands as if she was embarrassed about it.

“I see the problem” said Palutena who picked up her date’s bowling ball and gave it to her. “You’re rolling it diagonally, which missed all of those pins. All you have to do is roll it straight just like your shield breaker move.”

“I’ll try” replied Lucina, feeling a bit negative about bowling. She stood where Palutena always stood, the second black dot, and took a deep breath before rolling her ball. Strangely it was going to hit the front pin rather than between the first and second row. Once it struck, the seventh and tenth pins were still standing, making a 7-10 split. “I knocked the majority of the pins” a grin crept on Lucina’s lips since she felt better about bowling. She may even like this sport.

“Luckily, you don’t have to knock those down since it was your second try.”

“Why is that?”

“If you got on the first try, you are likely to only get one of them. However, professionals could take those two down by hitting the ball at the very end of the pin they select.”

“Sounds difficult.”

“With the right angle, you’re fine. Well, it’s my-“

“Lady Palutena” said a familiar, exuberant voice that the goddess recognized. It was Pit, and he ran to her and stood erect like a soldier. “Fancy meeting you here…with Lucina” his tone sounded confusing and disliking since the bluenette was with his goddess.

Palutena ignored her angel’s resentment towards Lucina and placed a fake smile. “Talk about such coincidence. Are you here with someone?”

“Oh, I’m here with Mario, his girlfriend, Fox, Falco, and Link. Sonic was with us earlier, but he left early to contact his friends at home. I know we can hang out with you.”

“That’s very kind of you Pit, but I am actually-“

“Please” Pit was on his knees, begging for his goddess to accept his plea. “It’ll be fun.”

“Palutena, let’s hang out with them. It’ll be exciting” Lucina lied regretfully and sadly. She gave a fake smile, signaling to her date that it’ll be okay.

“Are you sure?”

“I am sure.”

“Understood” Palutena sighed, feeling remorse for her date. She turned and faced Pit’s group, putting a fake smile again. “Alright, let’s have fun together.”

“YES” he gave a huge hug to the greenette. “This is going to be awesome!”

So Pit’s group, Palutena, and Lucina bowled together and socialized throughout their time. Although the white angel was having a blast, Lucina wasn’t entirely satisfied. Her plan making this date with the goddess going so well took an unexpected turn. It was becoming a nightmare to her. She felt like she wanted to scold Pit for ruining her date by having everyone in the building hear it but decided against it since she didn’t want to make a bad impression on her date. Palutena, on the other hand, enjoyed her time, for the most part. She was only upset at Pit for being inconsiderate since he wanted a large group of friends to hang out with and did not think about anyone else’s plans or thoughts.

Outside the building, Pit and his group depart, saying their goodbyes to Palutena and Lucina for the night. Once they were out of sight, Lucina finally released her anger after managing to hold down those raging emotions. “AH, Pit is such a rude, inconsiderate person!”

“Lucina, calm down, I know what you’re feeling, and I agree with you” replied the greenette who appeared calm.

“At least you agree with me. I’m just so infuriated at Pit; he doesn’t think of anyone about anything! He just cares about himself! His egocentric attitude really infuriates me!”

“It’s just that he likes hanging out with people. The more people those are in the group, the better for him.”

“Nevertheless, he should at least ask the people he plans to socialize with if they can join him.”

“I know, I know. When I have the time, I’ll talk to him about it.”

Lucina took a deep breathe before responding. “I think I want to rest for tonight.”

“Same here, I’m pretty tired after what’s happened.”

The two returned to the mansion, which not many people were present in the common area. At the third floor, the two were in front of Palutena’s door.

“I had a fun time tonight” said the greenette. She stretched her arms outwards and yawned.

“I also had a wonderful time with you” Lucina replied happily and disappointingly. Her words showed content while her facial expression displayed differently. Palutena knew how Lucina felt after the events of tonight. Now Lucina became nervous because she wanted to ask Palutena for another date. The bluenette took a moderate breath and was ready to speak up. “Palutena, I was wondering if you would like to date again.”

“I don’t know” replied the goddess who contemplated the swordswoman’s request. “I’m really tired now, so I can’t answer immediately. When I’m well rested tomorrow, I will tell you if I will or will not go out with you.”

“Okay” Lucina understood Palutena’s response without being worried about the meaning of it. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight” Palutena hugged Lucina tightly, which made the bluenette blush. She finished her hug and entered her room. Lucina walked straight down the hall, turned right, and opened her door to rest for tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The morning felt a mix of energy and anxiety for Lucina. She was glad that the date with Palutena happened but was interrupted by an angel with white wings. Her nervousness grew stronger because Palutena was supposed to tell her if she would like to continue dating or not. As a result, she planned to alleviate her nerves by training for the Smash Tour after breakfast. Dressed in her battle attire, she was on her way to the training complex. The thought of the goddess vividly recurred in her mind. She wasn’t quite sure if her crush would date her again after the outburst of anger against Pit. Then again, the dinner portion and the very beginning of bowling of the date were positive attributes that could possibly give some hope.

Inside the facility, Lucina scoped around the area hoping that Palutena wasn’t be here. Luckily, she wasn’t there, so the bluenette let out a sigh of relief. She mostly spent her time in the virtual training room. After a couple of runs, she managed to win nearly all of them. Her fighting abilities have gotten better with combos that were potentially strong enough for a KO. After completing her final run, she decided to take a break and drank some water from her bottle. As she was resting for a short stint, someone walked in. Lucina grinned because it was a blue hedgehog that entered.

“Oh, what’s up, Lucina?” Sonic asked with a smile.

“Hello, Sonic the Hedgehog” greeted formally by the swordswoman. “I was just resting after some Smash runs.”

“Cool, I’m assuming you’re improving a lot.”

“Yes, are you here to utilize the virtual room?”

“Looks like it” Sonic placed his bag neat the door before the simulation area. He turned around and had a curious expression. “So, how did your date go with Palutena?”

“Oh,” she replied with a negative connotation. “I don’t think it turned out well.”

“Man, that sucks” said the blue hedgehog who felt sympathetic for Lucina. “Was the entire date bad?”

“Actually, the dinner portion was fine. We got to know about each other well and had a few laughs.”

“Then what was the bad part?” He seemed confused because he thought that Lucina didn’t make any sense with what she was saying.

“After dinner, Palutena suggested to go bowling and we did. We proceeded to rent a lane and shoes. She taught me how to bowl since I never played the sport before. If you must know, I was at medicore level. Once both of us finished the first frame,” she paused for a moment as she attempted to restrain her anger. Her efforts failed as she released her resentment towards the white angel. “Pit ‘coincidently’ arrived with Mario and some other people. He practically begged Palutena that he and his group should hang out with us. I was dumb for saying we should let them join us. After that little event, I released my anger while Palutena was there with me. She luckily understood my problem, and we ended our date there.”

“Man, that’s horrible. I wish I was there because I could have stopped him from doing so.”

“No, Sonic, it’s not your fault. It was I who should have refused to hang out with Pit.”

“Sorry to hear that happened, though.”

“It’s alright.”

“Well, are you two going to continue dating?”

“I asked her if she wanted to, and she replied she wasn’t sure because she was exhausted yesterday night, so she will think about it and tell me today.”

“Cool” Sonic grinned and gave Lucina a thumb up. “Hopefully things will work out.”

“I hope so” the swordswoman sighed and closed her eyes simultaneously. “Thank you for your support.”

“Hey, no problem” he paused for moment since Lucina may continue using the virtual room. “So, are you still using this room?”

“I still am occupying this room” she opened her eyes and looked at the hedgehog. “You are welcome to join me if you like.”

“Awesome, I like that.”

Lucina was finished with her resting period, and Sonic was prepared to train with her. The first three simulations had only the swordswoman and the blue hedgehog fighting against each other with the stages being selected at random. Although Lucina put up a good fight, Sonic emerged victorious for all three. He won each match by his smash attack, his roundhouse kick, and his back-throw, which was one of Sonic’s most reliable moves for KO, respectively. Those three were the game-winning hit. After their one-on-one matches, they proceeded into the 8-player Smash with a two-stock battle. Lucina had to adapt a bit differently since the last time she was here, she usually protected Palutena for most of the match. There was no one else she protected but only to herself. In the end, she did manage to pull off one victory on the second simulation while the hedgehog won the other simulations.

“Well, Lucina, you’re getting better” Sonic initiated a conversation with the bluenette. He grabbed his water bottle from his bag and took a drink.

“Thanks, but whenever I have a chance to defeat you, you somehow get away and beat me” replied Lucina who was glad to train with the hedgehog but a bit upset that she lost to him many times.

“Looks like I’m just too fast for you.”

“Considering that you are the fastest fighter here.”

“You know I was making a joke, right?”

“No,” Lucina looked confused as if she didn’t see the connection between Sonic’s joke and his speed. She looked at the clock and saw her training hours were up. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sonic, but I must leave now.”

“Alright, I guess I’ll see you some other time then. See ya!” Sonic waved a goodbye to the swordswoman.

“I’ll see you later, too” she replied with a smile and waved a goodbye.

Earlier that day, after Lucina departed to train, a goddess entered the dining hall and ate breakfast late. She was that tired from yesterday. There wasn’t anyone in the dining hall except for her, so this was a good time for silence and some thinking. She began musing over her Lucina’s request for another date. As soon as she did, she spaced out as if she was in her own world. Because of that error, she spilled a part of her food on her clothes creating multiple stains. She grabbed a napkin and cleaned herself. “Oh, great.”

“Lost your ability to eat, huh?” Dark Pit said jokingly as he sat next to his goddess. He stopped by to get a snack but went through the dining hall to obtain it.

“No, I was just zoned out as all” Palutena replied as she finished the last touch of wiping food off her outfit.

“Sure, I’ll believe that” he said playfully. “So, how did your date go?”

“It was mostly great. The dinner was interesting and fun until we went to bowl” the goddess replied with a neutral expression.

“Why? Was your date terrible at bowling?”

“She wasn’t exactly horrible; she never played the sport before, but with my assistance she improved.”

“Then what was the problem?”

“Pit was the problem.”

“I knew it!” He hollered in a way that he’s angry but content because Palutena appeared enraged to Pit. “I’m telling you he has a problem! I see him with you all the time. Even on your date, he bugs you and ruins it. There’s something wrong with him.”

“It’s only that, Pittoo” Palutena defending her white angel. “I’ll settle his issue when I talk to him.”

“You better damn do it as soon as possible” he angrily responded before calming down. “So what’s next for you and Lucina?” He calmly asked.

“It’s tough because she asked me if I want to continue dating her” the goddess then placed her hand on her chin, contemplating if she actually would date her again. She thought of the entire date through Lucina’s personality and behavior. Those qualities were exceptional since the bluenette was nice to her whenever she was with her. Palutena then thought of her interests and activities to do, and they were not as good as she had hoped. Lucina frequently enjoyed training and spending time with people she knew from her own world. However, swordfighters from other worlds were some who Lucina associate with, but it was never social. Palutena enjoyed meeting people and socialize while Lucina wasn’t as much. She considered all factors and made a decision.

“Are you still going to date her?”

“I think…I might not date her anymore” Palutena’s words were slow as the latter of her statement took longer time to finish.

“Well, that’s not good to hear” Dark Pit’s attitude changed to a more serious tone. “She was always nice to you.”

“I know, but-“

“But what? Why don’t you want to date Lucina? Is it because it’s a lesbian relationship?”

“Oh heavens no” Palutena disagreed with Pittoo. “It’s not that it’s a lesbian relationship; it’s just that I don’t think things will work out.”

“I seriously don’t understand that” The dark angel became confused and a bit upset since he thought Palutena’s reason made no sense. “If you two got along, why would things not work out?”

“I mean I like to continue dating, but I feel like Pit would get in the way, so every date may end up him ruining it. Even if I tell him to not interrupt me whenever I’m with someone else, he’ll find his way to end up hanging out with me.”

“I see” Pittoo closed his eyes for a short moment. It appeared if Pit was part of a reason of anyone’s dissatisfaction then he was fine with it. “I’m guessing you didn’t tell him that you and Lucina are dating.” He opened his eyes and asked.

“Yeah, I haven’t” the greenette sighed nervously and was a bit agitated from the thought of telling Pit and his reaction about dating a swordswoman. “I’m fearful that Pit will not tolerate this.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“I can’t. He dislikes Lucina, so if I tell her that we won’t date anymore, Pit doesn’t know and everything will be normal again.”

“With Lucina heartbroken.”

“Yeah, but isn’t for the best?”

“I don’t know. If you want make Pit happy, then do it. However, if you want to pursue a possible long-term relationship with Lucina, then keep dating.”

“Thank you, Pittoo” she hugged the black angel, which made him uncomfortable.

“Please, don’t call me that.”

“Sorry, I just like that name.”

A huge explosion occurred, causing an extremely loud noise. No heard it because a sound barrier was placed in order to prevent any possible concerns. The people who were causing the explosion were protected from any injury because of a protective layer that surrounded them. When the blast happened, many large circular, red objects and mini circular, green objects were destroyed in the process. Both round things were stripped with white to make it as a target. A white-winged angel, two plumbers, an anthropomorphic fox and bird, and an elf with a green tunic were playing a game called “Target Blast.” It was a new game that Master Hand created for a new target smashing experience. Mario just finished his second try and managed to knock off eight red targets and many green targets.

“Not bad, bro” said positively by Mario’s taller but younger brother Luigi.

“Ehh” Mario disagreed as he slightly crunched the right side of his face. “It kinda sucks.”

“Didn’t even beat my high score, plumber” commented arrogantly by Falco who smirked while closing his eyes and crossing his arms.

“Shut up” Mario replied a bit harshly.

“I’m next” Luigi said who appeared exuberant to play target blast. He stepped up and started with the small bomb first.

“The bowling night was fun” Fox began the conversation as Luigi did his Target Blast run.

“It was” Pit paused before revealing something he didn’t like. “Until that Lucina had to be there with my Lady Palutena.”

“Come on, Pit” Link interrupted in Fox’s place. “There’s some reason why she was with Palutena.”

“Yeah, softening Lady Palutena up before killing her” Pit couldn’t hold his anger and clenched his fists.

“Lucina had no intention killing Palutena” Fox said in support of Lucina. “They may just hang out as friends in order to make up the accident.”

“I don’t like that. I think Lady Palutena hanging out with that clone is just awful. She should stop hanging out with her.”

“You shouldn’t control how your goddess lives her life” Mario came into the conversation unexpected.

“I just don’t like her, alright. Can we change the topic?” Pit felt like he wanted to leave and find his goddess.

“I guess so” Mario responded softly. He spoke up, “So what should we talk about?”

“Let’s talk about Lucina’s hot friend” Falco immediately said with another smirk.

“Falco, we’re not going to talk about someone’s ‘hot’ friend” Fox refuted against his teammate.

“Why not? It’s not like it is wrong to talk about it.”

“We’re not going to talk about a person’s ‘hot’ friend, okay?!”

“Whose friend is hot?” Luigi interrupted as he completed his one Target Blast run. He looked content with his result as he beat his brother’s score.

“It’s my turn. I don’t want to be part of this” Link felt uncomfortable with Falco’s topic, so he rushed to the stage.

“What’s with Link?” Luigi was obviously unaware and confused about the specific topic.

“It’s about Lucina’s friend” Mario said awkwardly since Luigi was not part of the conversation earlier.

“Avatar?” Everyone shook their heads in rejection. “Robin?” Luigi guessed again.

“Yeah” Falco confirmed with another grin.

“Why are you guys talking about Robin? Do any of you guys like her or something?”

“Falco doesn’t stop talking about her ever since Palutena’s incident” Fox responded to Luigi’s questions. He realized that he mentioned Palutena’s incident with Lucina to the captain of the goddess’s army and tapped his head sheepishly. “Sorry Pit for saying that.”

“It’s fine just don’t continue with the topic” Pit made a gesture to Falco to proceed with his topic of discussion.

“I’m glad you did that, Pit” Falco was prepared to talk about Robin whether good or bad. “Let’s talk about that hot, sexy Robin.”

“I’m kinda uncomfortable about this” Luigi stretched his shirt collar. Sweat almost came out of his forehead that could pour down his neck. “But why do describe her like that?”

“It’s obvious because of the way she talks back at me. The anger from that tactician brings out her sexiness with the long, grey or white hair waving like the ocean. That’s the kind the girl I like, a woman who speaks her mind anytime. Because of that, I finally get the chance to be with her since she’s the one lady who gave me the spark.”

“The only one?” Asked the green plumber curiously.

“Yeah,” Falco was prepared to hear Mario being upset and possibly Link as long he can hear the conversation. “Peach is annoying as hell. I never had seen someone with the stereotypical sweet, sassy princess. It’s unrealistic. Zelda is boring because she talks too soft and always talks about the history of Hyrule. No one gives a shit about that!”

“Excuse me?” Mario replied upsettingly, disliking Falco’s description of his girlfriend.

“You heard me, plumber” Falco tapped his chest hard as a way of being the dominant one of the group.

“You want to go?” Mario held his fists together, preparing for a fight.

“Bring it, chubby” Falco motioned the plumber to come to him.

“Falco, just stop” Fox had to spew the feeling he felt whenever his teammate talked about the female tactician. Both men ceased their altercation and shook hands to apologize. “You know Robin doesn’t like you. You’ll never get her to be your girlfriend.”

“She never said she disliked me, so I’m going for it. Just watch me.”

On a late afternoon, Lucina and Robin returned to the mansion after spending their time in Smash City and enjoying friendly games of home-run contest. In the city, they had lunch together at a shopping center. Within the building, the two just looked around and had fun searching for clothes or items to purchase as souvenirs. Once they finished their time at the mall, they went to a vast stadium that seemed like an endless road. A sandbag was placed on a round, circular head with a large, thick leg that supported the base. Each took turns to see who can hit the sandbag the furthest. Traditional home-run contests start off with dealing damage to the sandbag as much as possible for ten seconds before taking a swing with a bat. So far both Lucina and Robin won a couple of runs, but the tactician’s furthest distance was shorter than the bluenette’s. Once they did the traditional style, the two decided to change things up by doing a no-bat and an all aerial home-run. Lucina won the majority of the no-bat while Robin easily won the all-aerial moves.

“Well, I’m beat from all those home-run games” Robin said as she stretched her arms outwards. She also yawned and was exhausted from hours of strenuous exercise. “I’m going to get some smoothies, want some?”

“I like a smoothie please, thank you very much” Lucina replied politely and smiled at her friend. “I, too, am exhausted from such exercise.”

“I know, right?” The tactician slightly tightened her eyes as a way to be a little funny. “So, what kind of flavor would you like?”

“Any flavor is fine by me.” Robin heard her friend’s response and walked into the kitchen to make some fruit smoothies. Lucina found two bean bags that were facing a large television. The screen featured a table of “sports” analysts who assess the eight fighters and their fighting style before the final. Once they finish their analysis, they predict who had the advantage of winning. The swordswoman took a seat and watched the people on screen evaluate all Smashers. She expected them to say how Palutena may struggle during the match and had the lowest chance of victory, which did happen. As she viewed the television, Robin emerged out of the kitchen and took a seat next to Lucina with two smoothies on her hands. “A _blue_ smoothie for a _blue_ swordswoman” she emphasized the word blue to make a joke.

“Thank you” Lucina accepted the beverage and was completely oblivious to her friend’s joke. “Hey, these analysts are assessing the finalists’ battling styles” she pointed her left finger towards the large flat-screen TV on the wall.

“Oh, really” Robin reacted a bit surprised by it. She took a sip of her pink smoothie and loved the flavor. “Mmm, this smoothie is delicious! I knew I make a kick-ass drink.”

Lucina took a sip of her smoothie and reacted positively. “My, this beverage is fantastic. How did you make it so well?”

“I’m just too good making beverages.”

“Humorous” the bluenette seemed weirded out by her friend’s behavior. “Who do you think will win the Smash tournament?” She asked.

“Hmm, that’s tough.” Robin placed her left hand on her chin and contemplated the topic. When she finished thinking, she responded, “I think it’s between Bowwow, Samus, or Sonic.”

“Bowwow?” Lucina seemed bewildered about that name. “I think you mean Bowser.”

“I know because it’s his nickname.”

“Nickname?”

The female tactician nodded vertically as a sign of confirmation. “Yep, Bowser nicknamed himself that, and I like it because it’s hilarious.”

“That nickname is peculiar.”

Robin chuckled and took another sip of her beverage. She placed it on a coaster at a table in front of her and Lucina. “So who do you think will win? It’s pretty silly for me to ask but is obvious to me, though.”

“I want Palutena to win” Lucina couldn’t help but smile every time she says, sees, or thinks of the goddess.

“Which reminds me” the female tactician had to take another sip of her smoothie because it just tasted too good. “How did that date go?”

The bluenette froze a bit because she thought Robin expected an amazing night when it was most certainly not. She took a deep breath before talking about the first date. “It was a mix of good and bad.”

“Oh,” Robin replied, displeased to hear the news. “I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”

“The dinner was great because we had a splendid time talking and learning about each other. We share some laughs, which made me feel more relaxed. Once we finished dinner, Palutena wanted to continue with the night by suggesting bowling. You know that I never played that sport before, but I went. We’ve been at the bowling alley for no more than ten minutes.” Lucina stopped for a brief stint because her anger was about to burst. The memory of that event made her agitate. “Suddenly, Pit came with a group of friends and wanted to hang out with us.”

“Talk about such inconvenience. What else happened?”

“He practically begged like a dog!” Lucina hollered. “He couldn’t take no for an answer, and I regretfully told Palutena that we can socialize with Pit’s group.”

“Wow” the female tactician responded negatively. “That’s just inconsiderate and rude. Does he not know that you two want to spend time alone?”

“Apparently not. I don’t think Palutena told Pit that we’re dating, or so we are.”

Robin appeared confused with Lucina’s latter statement as her facial expression revealed bewilderment. “Lucy, what do you mean by ‘so we are’?”

“Oh, it’s nothing” Lucina replied, trying to deny her last words from her previous statement. She drank her smoothie mechanically and awkwardly.

“Yeah, it is. You seem uncertain about Palutena.”

“Okay, you’re right” the bluenette couldn’t lie, so she revealed everything with all honesty. “You want to know what happened, am I right?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright” the swordswoman took another deep breath. “After bowling, we called it a night. Before Palutena walked inside her room, I asked her if she wanted to date me again.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me she was tired, so she couldn’t respond to my question immediately. However, Palutena said she’ll think about it and tell me today.”

“Oh, no” was all Robin could say. She freaked out and walked back and forth in front of Lucina. Her hands were on her hair, which gave a negative vibe to the bluenette who didn’t catch it. “No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening, not to Lucy. No, no, no!”

“Robin, what’s wrong with you?” She asked worriedly.

“This is a crisis, a crisis, Lucy!” Robin yelled as she carelessly messed up her hair.

“How is this a crisis?”

“Why is it?” The tactician sat down on her seat and laid back like when someone is exhausted from exercise or a long day at work. She let out a sigh that didn’t sound good and stared at Lucina. “It’s because you and Palutena aren’t going to f-I mean date anymore.”

“What?” Lucina replied with a saddening tone as her eyes were the same. She denied the allegation because that was not what Palutena meant. Or was it? The bluenette continued, “T-that’s not true.”

“Yes, it is” Robin said slowly, trying to not make her friend upset in any way.

“But Palutena told me she’ll think about it and tell me today.”

“You heard what she said, but you didn’t _listen_ to what she said.”

“I did listen to her; I understood and gave her time to think about it. Why would you say she wouldn’t date me anymore?”

“It’s because it’s a way of saying we’re not going to continue dating.”

“That is not an accurate statement.”

“I’m sorry, Lucina, but I think in this situation it’s going to happen.”

“How?”

“It’s because I’ve seen it and experienced before. Some guys went on one date with Peach in this world, and she replied that she’ll think about it and tell them tomorrow. You know what happened next? She never told them the next day, and those guys got the message. Remember when I went out with that one guy in Smash?” Lucina confirmed with a nod. “Well, I told him the same. The reason is because my facial expression was the real message.”

“Hold on, the words aren’t the real meaning?”

“It’s all about her nonverbal gesture. If it doesn’t match her verbal message, then nothing is right” Robin paused for a bit before asking Lucina one more thing. “Do you remember Palutena’s facial expression as she said those words?”

Lucina thought very hard as she closed her eyes. The image was not very clear at first, but as the conversation continued between her and the goddess, the image became vivid. As the greenette was responding to Lucina’s request for a second date, the swordswoman clearly saw the goddess’s facial expression. She noticed that Palutena smiled, but it was strange because there wasn’t any actual muscle contraction around her eyes. When the bluenette realized it, she opened her eyes and became distraught. “No.”

“What did you see?”

“Palutena’s smile wasn’t real. It was a fake smile” Lucina hid her face from Robin’s as she became depressed.

“I’m so sorry to hear that Lucina” Robin comforted her friend by hugging her and patting her back.

“Why did you do this to me?” Lucina became upset at her friend for ruining her hopes. “I thought you were my friend.”

“A friend, a real, good friend, has to tell the truth. One single lie can pervade and infect a bond between companions that can lead to a crisis. That’s why I had to tell you everything I said from all honesty, otherwise, our friendship is in trouble.”

“I understand” Lucina felt better about her friend as she was being absolutely honest. “I’m sorry for being mad at you.”

“It’s okay, but” Robin halted her statement as she let go of Lucina. The swordswoman looked at her friend’s eyes, hoping she would be scrupulous. “Besides, you never know what’s going to happen. Some outside factors can reverse Palutena’s decision, so all hope is not lost. Remember what you always say about the future?”

“Yeah” the bluenette grinned as she saw honesty from the tactician’s nonverbal gesture. “The future is not written.”

“You can change the future, Lucina. I know you can because I’ll support and believe in you as a friend.” Robin’s facial expression became serious but supportive. “One more thing, to change the future…” Robin waited for her friend to respond.

“You have to change the present” naturally responded by the swordswoman.

“Exactly. Always know that.”

Lucina did and kept Robin’s words. She knew that Palutena had to come and tell her if they should continue dating. However, Palutena never showed up.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The day after Palutena was supposed to tell Lucina if she would like to continue dating arrived. Outside the skies were filled with grey clouds, dark shaded ones to be more precise. Heavy rain poured down with each impact having resemblance to the sound of falling rocks. In addition to the drenching rain, daunting thunder and flashes of lightning struck down hard, which didn’t seem to diminish at any rate. To ensure safety, Master Hand advised the Smashers to remain in the mansion until the weather was cleared. The unfortunate news was that the storm will be cleared tomorrow as today was a continuous, persistent severe storm.   

The weather greatly affected Lucina’s mood due to the events of yesterday; she was supposed to expect the goddess to meet up and tell her if they were going to continue dating, but it never happened. She received the message and assumed that her chances with the greenette were gone. Lucina remained in her room, depressed because of losing hope for a relationship with Palutena. She didn’t leave her room and remained on her bed, foetus position, for the entire morning, considering that every Smash fighter had to stay in the mansion.

At the common area, there were many Smashers, almost all of them, present since they were bored that none had to exit the mansion. To pass time, they just talked about things to each other, played games with each other, or take an occasional nap. Mario and Sonic faced each other in a game of billiards as their rivalry continued while Bowser was teaching his son and his koopalings table tennis. Only the younger siblings such as Larry and Lemmy needed more assistance. Fox, Falco, and Link sat on a couch, watching a female tactician, a pink-dressed princess, and a hylian princess across from them on bean bags.

“Alright,” said the confident bird as he held his hands on his thighs. “I’m going to talk to Robin.”

“I don’t like this idea” replied his captain who was still unhappy about his partner’s idea. “It’s going to turn into hell.”

“Relax; it’s going to be easy. It’s just talk and be cool” Falco calmly and confidently said to his captain. He believed that he can get a date with Robin due to the spark he obtained inadvertently from the female tactician.

“Regretting this but good luck, Falco” Link said remorsefully as he placed his hand on his head in shame.

Falco tidied himself one last time before walking coolly towards Robin and her two friends. He had to act like he accidently walked towards them. As he approached the three women, he heard sounds of laughter and interesting topics.

“So, my brother and Shulk tried to pull a prank on Captain Falcon” Falco heard as Robin was explaining a story about Avatar and Shulk’s failed prank on Captain Falcon. He waited and attempted to hear the entire story then play his game. “They took one of his inventions, a can of Falcon Punch, and drained the entire liquid.”

“Why did they do that?” A woman with a pink, floral dress asked curiously. “What kind of prank is it?”

“First, it’s because my brother wanted to insert a punching glove in the can, so when Captain Falcon attempted to open the can and drink it, a glove will punch him in the face with my brother and Shulk saying, ‘Falcon Punch!’ It’s a way of giving a taste of his medicine.”

“How did it fail?” A princess asked with elf-like ears curiously.

“Well, they did what they planned to do: insert the thing meticulously and carefully and measure the false can with the real can, so there wouldn’t be anything suspicious. So, the two dudes were chilling in the common area, minding their own business. Captain Falcon showed up, looking normal as he was. My brother and Shulk presented the guy with the drink, trying to act casual as much as they can. They said they added an ingredient that truly tasted like Falcon Punch because Falcon tried to find the one ingredient that was a step close to perfecting a drink that truly was Falcon Punch. The falcon guy became curious and opened the can. And then” Robin giggled a little because the next part was hilarious to her. “Nothing happened to Captain Falcon. Avatar became upset that the prank didn’t work, so he took the can and looked into the hole to see what went wrong. The next thing that happened was…BAM!” The female tactician punched the air to give a visual aid. “My brother _and_ Shulk got Falcon Punched in the face.” The three ladies burst out laughing from the story since Captain Falcon got them back for attempting to prank him.

“Har har!” Peach laughed before relaxing to speak to Robin. “Isn’t your brother supposed to be a tactician? His plan was supposed to be foolproof.”

“I know” the female tactician agreed. “Looks like he’s three steps _behind_.”

Peach, Zelda, and Robin laughed together like best friends. Shortly after, Falco came in and copied the women laughing while standing. “What are we laughing about?”

“We were laughing about Robin’s story about her brother and Shulk’s failed prank on Captain Falcon” princess Toadstool replied nicely.

“Ahh, it must have been funny as hell then” Falco took a seat with them. “You ladies don’t mind if I join you, right?”

“Of course” Peach happily responded, hoping Zelda and Robin were okay with it.

“I don’t mind at all” replied the elf softly but sound enough for the bird to hear. Her face appeared suspicious as she grinned excessively whenever she faced Robin.

“Go ahead” Robin said carelessly as she turned away from Falco.

“Great” Falco winked at Peach and Zelda as if they were in on his mission. The two understood the message and were ready for their next step.

“I wish I could stay, but I got to go” Peach stretched her arms outwards and yawned loudly.

“Same here” Zelda copied her blond friend’s actions mechanically.

“Pardon?” Robin replied, hearing things that she didn’t believe. “Falco just got here and you two are leaving like that? Plus, it’s pouring and storming out. Where are you two even going to go?”

“Mario and I want to have some lonely time, if you get my drift” Peach smirked and felt aroused by the sexual thought between the plumber and her.

“I have to read a book that I’m dying to finish” Zelda rushed, becoming extremely nervous of the situation. A stare from Falco and Peach signaled her to relax.

“Are you two serious?” Robin became unconvinced to hear the reasons for leaving.

“Yes, have fun” both the princesses said in unison before walking away.

“Looks like it’s just the two of us” Falco said as he crossed his arms to become more comfortable.

“Don’t count on it” the tactician attempted to stand up and to leave to find Lucina.

“Woah, girl” Falco stopped her by extending his right arm in a way that signaled Robin to stay put. She then sat down slowly and cautiously. “We haven’t formally introduced each other and get to know each other. It is part of why we were invited to Smash: to socialize with other Smashers and earn friendships.”

Robin growled because the bird had a point, so she couldn’t argue back. “Fine since it’s one of the ways to get you to leave me alone.”

“Excellent” the anthropomorphic bird extended his right arm again for a handshake. “The name’s Falco.”

“I’m Robin” she shook his hand and tried to avoid his eyes as much as possible.

“It’s already getting boring while being in the mansion all day, wouldn’t you say?” Falco initiated small talk in a way.

“I suppose so. The weather is just horrible, heavy rain and thunder all day. There’s a possibility of a flooding” Robin sounded concerned on the latter of her words.

“Don’t worry about it. As long as we’re in here, we’ll be fine." He replied, making a romantic implication of him and her only being fine.

“Sure” she said sarcastically. “So, what do you like to do in your pastime?” She asked after a pause, pretending to be interested in him.

Across from the two, Fox and Link couldn’t believe what they witnessed. They rubbed their eyes just to be sure it wasn’t an illusion. Unfortunately for them, it was indeed real.

“I can’t believe Falco is actually putting up his moves on Robin” said the captain of the Star Fox team who was astonished and a bit skeptical about his teammate’s situation.

“I know. I thought she didn’t like him” Link added who also had the same reaction as Fox’s.

“I like to compete in competition because I just like to be the best at everything” Falco said, hinting a bit of arrogance in his tone. “What about you?” He continued.

“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I’ve been spending a good deal of time reading books-“

“Boooooring” Falco interrupted.

“Talking to others” Robin slowed down because she knew Falco was going to say something.

“Nice” she predicted right on his reaction.

“And recently, I’ve been hanging out a lot with Lucina.”

“That clone?”

“What the hell did you just say?” Robin suddenly became enraged by Falco’s description of her friend. She found it to be a negative connotation.

“Hanging out with the clone? That’s just-“

“Well, excuse me, birdie for being friends with Lucina” Robin became livid as her eyes matched her emotion. “There’s nothing wrong with her, got that?! If you ever get the chance to talk to her, you know she’s a better person than you think.”

“Sorry for that, Robin. I didn’t know it offended you. I promise to not make that mistake again” Falco apologized, which the female tactician accepted his apology. “Anyways, how about you and I get some dinner in Smash City this Friday?”

“That’s really sweet of you to ask me out, Falco” Robin made a fake smile while pretending to be nice.

“And?”

“Hell, no.”

“What?!”

“There’s no way I’m going to date you. Not a chance.” Robin laughed hysterically, making the bird feel embarrassed.

“Damn it, girl! You’ll regret this” Falco walked away unhappy of his result with the female tactician.

“Never will be” she said before Falco ignored any more of her comments against him. Robin slid down on her bean bag and closed her eyes for some rest.  Her hands were on the back of her head, trying to enjoy a nap. It wasn’t even ten seconds, but someone sat next to her and said, “Are you Lucina’s friend?”

The female tactician opened her eyes and turned to the voice she heard. She couldn’t believe who it was. A tall, green-haired female was talking to her, waiting for Robin to respond. “Palutena?”

“That’s me, but you need to answer my question” the goddess asked who seemed to be in a rush.

“Yeah, I’m Lucina’s friend” she tried to circumvent the topic about Palutena and Lucina dating. “What’s up?”

“I want to talk to you about Lucina…It’s about us dating.”

Robin froze like a stone. She had a small feeling that it was going to happen to her though. She quickly snapped out of her spaced out zone and replied, “What about you two?”

“You don’t have to act that way; I know that you knew about Lucina and me.”

“Oh, crap” Robin submitted into defeat and sat up erect. “First, I want to say that wasn’t cool of you to end between you and Lucina that way” she said at room noise yet her subtext was a bit of resentment.

“I know it wasn’t but-“

“Hold on a minute…how do you know that I know about you two dating?”

“I overheard you two discussing about it yesterday, here at the common area.” Palutena remembered walking downstairs when she happened to overhear Lucina’s voice along with Robin yesterday. She hid behind the doorway and was focused on hearing the conversation between the two Fire Emblem newcomers.

“Wow” Robin smacked her forehead with her right hand. “I’m so stupid.”

“Oh, no, it’s not your fault.” Palutena smiled, trying to cheer up the tactician. “Anyways, I came to you because I’m still not sure if I should still date Lucina.”

“You never made a decision then.” Robin asked for confirmation.

“Yes.”

“Huh, looks like I was somewhat wrong yesterday” Robin made fun of herself. She and Palutena both shared a laugh. “So, why are you unsure of this?”

“At first, my decision was to not continue dating because of Pit. I feel he would always be around me and Lucina, so every date or even a hangout could be awkward and bad” Palutena replied.

“That alone shouldn’t be the reason to discontinue dating my friend” Robin argued against Palutena. The goddess made a nonverbal gesture to further explain why. “I understand that you care about Pit and how he doesn’t like Lucina, but he doesn’t control your life. You do. If he cares about you, he should support your decisions but has to be honest about it. Like me, for example, I was a bit weirded out by Lucina having a crush on you, but I had to support her because she is my friend. I ended up helping her in gaining courage to ask you out and she succeeded. From there, I became happy for her because you make her happy. If Lucy’s happy, then I’m happy, too. And also, it’s important to date my friend for whom she is.”

Palutena began to muse on Robin’s words. She was in conflict against herself as her mind says don’t continue dating because of Pit while her heart tells her to continue dating. It was all boggled up in her head like large piles of paperwork to finish. Time felt perpetual even though Palutena began to contemplate about Lucina for only thirty seconds.  For that half minute period, she thought of how polite and nice Lucina was towards her. Those times happened nearly every time both women hung out. She didn’t want to hurt or make the swordswoman despise her by cutting her off like a rope. Then she became impatient and anxious concurrently due to the possibility of the abhorrence against her. She could have nervous breakdown from doing this although it was unlikely. Suddenly, she stood up straight, scaring the female tactician in the progress. “Sorry, Robin, but I have to go.” She shook Robin’s hand aggressively but not firmly. “Thank you for helping with me settle my troubling situation.”

“Uh, no problem, anytime” Robin replied, confused on Palutena’s behavior. “Where are you going?”

“I have to do something” the greenette bolted off upstairs, presumably to the third floor. The female tactician speculated that Palutena was going to talk to Lucina and remained on her bean bag. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on the back of head to finally rest without any more interruptions.

Palutena ran through the corridors of the third floor quickly like a sprinter. It appeared that she ran through the entire area couple of times. She couldn’t remember the number and letter Lucina’s room was while running. Even the decorations on the front door, that clearly identified the swordswoman’s door, weren’t any beneficial to the goddess. Her vision must have played tricks for that to happen, or it was because she was rushing herself. After running a couple of laps around the third floor, Palutena slowed down and began walking. She placed her hands on the top of her head, getting more air into her lungs. Shortly after walking, the greenette found a door in front of her that displayed 3H with pictures of Chrom and his daughter; she finally found Lucina’s room. Palutena waited for a moment to catch her breath before knocking on the door. When her heartbeat was at normal pace, she was ready to talk to the swordswoman.

“Who is it?” Lucina asked softly, sounding blue in her tone.

“It’s Palutena” the goddess responded quite happily.

“Uhh” the bluenette stuttered as she couldn’t believe that the woman she thought ended the dating between them was talking to her. She froze for a moment, silenced by what’s happening now. All hope wasn’t lost after all, but she wasn’t completely optimistic. “I d-don’t want to t-talk to you.”

“I understand, but this is important” she paused to catch the swordswoman’s attention. “It’s about the status of us dating” she finally spoke out.

Lucina hurriedly combed her messed up hair after spending hours lying on the bed. After a quick styling of her hair, she ran to the front door and stopped. The bluenette took a deep breath before opening the door. “Hello, Palutena” she said a bit nervously.

“Hey, Lucina, you look well-dressed.” Palutena scanned Lucina’s outfit.

“Thank you for that compliment.” Lucina’s face reddened a little. “Is this really about the status of our relationship?” She hoped that it did.

“Yes, it is” the goddess smiled, making the bluenette grin as well.

“What do you need to say?”

“There are some things I have to say. First, I know I haven’t kept my word of telling you yesterday about if we should continue dating.”

“You should be sorry for hurting me like that” Lucina suddenly became distraught and angry. “It felt horrible that you didn’t keep your promise.”

“Yes, yes, I’m so sorry for doing that to you. It’s my fault entirely, but I’m here to finally talk about dating.”

“Please, proceed.”

“Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, I like to continue dating you.”

Lucina couldn’t help but smile contently and uncontrollably. It felt like a dream, something the bluenette always wanted to happen. Since it did happen, it was more of too good to be true or even paradise. “Do you really mean that?” She asked for confirmation.

“Of course, I really want to date you more, thanks to your friend Robin.”

“Robin? You mean-“

“Yes, she made me realize that I shouldn’t put other’s reactions and opinions ahead of me. I should make decisions that are the best for me even if others don’t approve it. You should thank her personally for this.”

“I definitely do” Lucina said exuberantly. Her smile wasn’t close to fading away; she was simply too happy on what was happening to her. “So, when do you want to have the second date?”

“How about now?” Palutena suggested.

“Now?” Lucina wanted to make sure if that was what Palutena meant. When the goddess nodded for a yes, the bluenette felt unprepared and nervous about it. “That’s all too sudden-“

“Come on, it’s storming outside, and we’re stuck inside. It’s okay for things to be unusual.” The goddess cheered up the swordswoman.

“I suppose so” Lucina agreed somewhat.

“Ready for our second date?” Palutena offered her hand for Lucina to hold on to.

“Gladly.”

The two held hands while going downstairs. At the ground floor, they weren’t noticed by others, so it was a good thing for both of them. The goddess noticed Robin with Peach, Zelda, Mario and Link socializing while sitting on couches.

“Lucina, you should thank Robin now” Palutena said.

“What about you?” Lucina asked back.

“I’ll be in the kitchen waiting for you.”

Palutena walked inside the kitchen as the swordswoman went towards Robin’s group. The female tactician made a quick glance and saw her friend. “I’ll be right back” she said.

“Take your time” Peach responded.

“Hey, Lucy, what’s-“ Robin was interrupted by Lucina’s surprise hug. “Woah, what a surprise there.”

“I just want to say thank you for continuing this relationship between Palutena and I” Lucina’s tone was emotional, making the tactician feel the same thing the bluenette felt.

“Hey, that’s what friends are for, am I right?” Robin patted Lucina’s back softly.

 “Yes, it is” the bluenette let go of her hug and continued grinning. “I’m going on another date with Palutena right now” she said exuberantly.

“No way, that’s awesome!” Robin’s tone matched Lucina’s. “It’s funny how it’s inside the mansion.”

“Well, Palutena said it’s alright for things to be unusual.”

Robin giggled because she found it cute that Lucina quoted something Palutena said. “Well, I sure understood that.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, nothing” she replied, grabbing Lucina’s arm and walking towards the kitchen. “You just enjoy your date, Lucy” she pushed her friend into the kitchen and returned to her group.

“That was so peculiar” Lucina straightened her clothes meticulously. “Robin can be so abnormal sometimes.”

“How so?” Palutena asked while making sandwiches.

“It’s just her behavior” Lucina replied. “She is just odd, but that’s part of who she is.”

“I see” the goddess giggled a little. “Come on, you can help me finish the sandwiches.”

Lucina joined her date in making sandwiches. During that time, Palutena messed around by throwing chopped vegetables or meat at her. The swordswoman was a bit frustrated with the greenette’s strange actions, so she told her to cease it. Palutena couldn’t help but laugh and smile at Lucina. She found it adorable since she was just joking around and Lucina took it seriously. The bluenette stood there confused at first, but when she saw the goddess’s grin, her facial expression copied it. She was somewhat accustomed to Palutena’s jokes but still had trouble understanding them and her own sense of humor, which she lacked significantly. Once they finished making small sandwiches, they brought the tray that was filled with them to the dining hall and ate there. No one else was there.

“You make exquisite sandwiches, Palutena” Lucina complimented after she took a bite.

“Aw, thanks but it wasn’t without your help” the goddess replied nicely.

“Uhh…my pleasure” the bluenette reacted awkwardly.

Palutena giggled again by Lucina’s awkward behavior. “You’re still cute” she replied, which made the swordswoman’s face redden, and that compliment kept penetrating Lucina without any problems. In order to prevent her crush from noticing, she tried to laugh with her, which didn’t make it any better. “So, Lucina, I have something to ask.”

“By all means,” Lucina replied naturally.

“How did you feel after what happened yesterday?”

The swordswoman took a deep breath, disliking the feeling about it. However, because of what happened currently, it didn’t matter to her much. “I felt distraught when Robin told me that you and I weren’t going to date after I told her that you were going to tell me if we were going to date again the next day. Then, she comforted my sadness by putting hope on my future with you. I was determined and buoyant that you were going to tell me anyways, but you never did. I felt betrayed, lied to, and hurt from you.”

“Oh my” Palutena partially covered her mouth with her right hand. “I’m so stupid for doing that to you” she said guiltily. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s difficult for me to decide if I can forgive you.”

“Well, you wanted this relationship to happen right?” Palutena had a little smirk on her face, which Lucina didn’t detect.

“I…don’t understand.” Lucina became baffled.

“Here’s one way to continue this relationship” Palutena’s left hand contacted Lucina’s right cheek softly. It felt warm. She then closed her eyes and positioned her lips in a way to kiss. As soon as Lucina saw the indicators, she began to feel extremely uncomfortable and blushed harshly. The goddess was targeting the swordswoman’s left cheek to kiss. As the two got closer, time felt much quicker. It could have happened fast.

“AHH!” Lucina panicked and fell off her chair.

“Lucina, are you okay?” She sounded worried since she felt she did something wrong.

“Yes, I didn’t anticipate you trying to kiss my face” the swordswoman replied as she returned to her seat after falling down.

“Oh, you didn’t want it to happen?”

“It’s not that; I just feel that I am not prepared for that part of the relationship.”

“No intimacy?”

“We’re in the phase where we are learning about each other. I do not want to jeopardize our relationship.”

“Understandable.” Palutena didn’t seem to mind. She just took a chance to kiss her date on the cheek but failed. “Well, these sandwiches aren’t going to eat themselves.”

The two resumed and finished their plate of sandwiches. For a while both ladies discussed about the Smash tournament final, which was still a hot topic. Lucina gave ideas and tactics to Palutena on beating her opponents. The goddess was amused by the swordswoman’s effort to assist her in hopes of winning the tournament. She liked how the bluenette was being nice and helpful. As soon as she tried to respond to Lucina, her peripheral vision caught sight of two angels, with the white one most likely searching for his goddess. She grabbed the bluenette’s arm and hid under the table.

“Palutena, what’s going“ Lucina’s mouth was covered by the greenette.

“Hush” Palutena gave a nonverbal gesture to the bluenette to quiet down. “Pit’s here and he can’t know we’re here. We have to be quiet” she whispered.

Lucina nodded and remained silent as her date furtively watched two of her angels patrol the dining hall. Whenever Pit and Dark Pit were close to the area where Lucina and Palutena were, both women moved away and attempted to not breathe at all.

“I swear Lady Palutena is here” Pit said with determination that he could’ve seen his goddess in the dining hall.

“Well, I don’t see her” his doppelganger replied with no interest. “Can we leave now?”

“No, I know she’s here, and I need to protect her from certain people who can pose a threat to her.”

“Would you just forget that and move on?” Dark Pit was irritated by Pit’s constant complain about Lucina being a murderer and hurting Palutena.

“Nope, I just need to-“

“What are you two doing here?” A female tactician came from the common area, seeing them enter the dining hall.

“Mind your own business” Pit rudely spoke back.

“Yo, don’t talk back like that to Robin” Dark Pit defended the female tactician. “She just asked a question.”

“Thanks, Dark Pit, you’re so sweet” Robin nicely said to the black angel and smiled.

“Uh, yeah, no problem” he awkwardly replied, avoiding eye contact with the tactician and rubbing the back of his head.

Robin giggled by Pittoo’s reaction. “Anyways, you two have to leave.”

“Why should we?” Pit asked by being sassy in his tone.

“Palutena is da..hanging out with Lucina, and they need to spend time to get to know each other.” Robin almost got herself in trouble.

“S-she’s hanging out her? Lady Palutena would never do that.” The white angel became even more resentful than before.

“Give my friend a chance. She’s making up her mistake to your goddess by being a good person to her and treating her to lunch.”

“I agree with Robin” Pittoo quickly said in a way that he was always siding with her no matter how well or ridiculous something was. “We should give Lucina a chance.”

Pit thought over about the situation. He still had a grudge against the swordswoman, but he mused how he shouldn’t interfere with Palutena’s social life and unfairly ruin interpersonal relationships with Smashers. “Fine, just this once” he regretfully said.

“Good” she grabbed both of the angels’ hands. “Let’s go, let’s hang out with some people for the time being.”

Pit nodded while Dark Pit was exuberant to hang out with Robin and the group but was particularly more excited to socialize with the female tactician. Once the three were out of sight, Palutena and Lucina returned to their seats and were relieved that a troubling situation was prevented by Robin.

“That Robin is surely a good friend to have” Palutena said and looked at her date.

“I do agree with you” the bluenette replied with a smile. “It’s amazing and peculiar how she and I became friends.”

“How so?” Palutena asked curiously.

Before Lucina could talk, thunder cracked and blew through the skies causing the lights in Smash City to disappear, including the mansion.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Commotion was everywhere at the common area. Some fighters were fearful, some tried to calm others down, and some didn’t care as much by staying where they were without much motion. The veterans, the most experienced ones since the first edition, took over as leaders and informed the less experienced veterans and the newcomers to stay calm. Mario, Luigi, Fox, Link, and Yoshi headed towards the basement floor to repair any problems with the plumber’s fireball acting as the lighter. While the people at the common area were busy keeping the peace and preventing chaos, Palutena and Lucina remained in the dining hall being surprisingly calm on what was happening.  

“The lights are out.” The swordswoman said protectively and pointed it out by looking at the lights that were shut off, naturally holding Palutena’s hand because she was concerned about her and her own safety. She was oblivious that she was holding her date’s hand. “We should take precaution.”

“No doubt about that” agreed the goddess as she looked at the perimeter of the dining hall. “The storm is really bad today.”

“Should we stay?” Lucina asked.

“Probably not” replied Palutena. “People in this mansion are likely to wonder where we are.”

“Understood.” The bluenette closed her eyes, hoping that everything will be alright.

“You know, Lucina,” the greenette said. “I feel protected with you holding my hands. It’s also very warm, too.”

“Oh, dear” Lucina pulled back her hand and blushed. She kept her hands to herself. “I apologize for holding your hand without your permission.”

Palutena giggled by her date’s over-reactive behavior. She didn’t seem to mind that Lucina was holding her hand; it felt warm, but it didn’t make the goddess feel any more intimate towards the bluenette though. “There’s no need for apologizes. If you want to hold my hand, then do so. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Lucina carefully grasped Palutena’s right hand with her left hand the second time and slowly grinned once the goddess smiled. She still felt uneasy by the hand holding since it was quite some time she ever held someone’s hand that frequently. The only person whom she had similar experience with was Avatar. Back at Ylisse, the two dated and were, considered by many citizens of Ylisse, inseparable. It all changed when Avatar, his sister, and Lucina were invited to Super Smash Bros. The male tactician was given positive criticism whereas the swordswoman wasn’t. Whenever the blunette felt anger or sadness, her ex-boyfriend, comforted and supported her. As life progressed in Smash, Avatar hung out with Shulk and others more often than Lucina, which inevitably led to their break-up. Despite the termination of their romantic relationship, the two remain honest to each other and good friends.

“Palutena” Lucina said after a short pause. The goddess made facial expression that displayed she was all ears. “I never told you how Robin and I became friends.”

“Oh, yeah” Palutena replied, remembering that she never knew the origin of the bluenette and the female tactician’s friendship. “So how did you two become friends?”

Before Lucina could even open her mouth, the sound of opening doors shattered their conversation. The two looked to see if someone was looking for them. Luckily, it was a giant white hand, appearing to be searching for missing parties.

“Is there anyone here?” Master Hand spoke vociferously, sounding concerned about his Smashers possibly being missing.

“We’re here” Palutena answered back as she and Lucina stood up to catch his attention.

“Thank goodness you two are safe” the hand sighed. “You two are the only ones missing from the common area, so I needed to find you two and make sure that everyone is secured from potential harm.”

“No need to” the greenette spoke again. “We were just hanging out as all.”

“Very well then. Please return to the common area” Master Hand opened the door for them. Palutena and Lucina walked through the doors, thanking the hand in the process, and entered the common area that was filled with candles and battery-powered lamps.

“Lady Palutena” said a white angel as he ran up to his goddess and stood erect as always whenever he presented himself to his superior. “Are you okay from the blackout?”

“I’m fine, Pit” the goddess responded politely and nicely. “There is no damage on me.”

“Ok, good” he swiped his forehead as a sigh of relief. He looked at Lucina for a quick glance and shifted his attention to his goddess, acting as if the bluenette wasn’t there. “At least you’re safe here, so I can relax.”

“Yes, go and sit down, please” Palutena said as she rubbed Pit’s brown hair.

“Yes, Lady Palutena” he bowed to her and returned to his seat with his doppelganger, Robin, Peach, and Zelda. Palutena found a couch with two seats, which was perfect for her and Lucina to sit and took it. Once they got comfortable, the two were ready to listen to Master Hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Super Smash Brothers,” introduced formally by Master Hand. “This is one of the rarest events to occur here in this mansion: a blackout with the worst severe storm in years. I understand that many of you never experienced this before, but it isn’t as frightening as it is. Currently, we have five oldest veterans who are in the basement floor to repair any possible problems. So it is best to remain still and look out for each other in case of any injury, understand?” All Smashers spoke out “yes”. Then the five fighters returned from their task with an unhappy expression. “Ah, Mario, Luigi, Link, Fox, and Yoshi, can we restore the lights to the mansion?”

“Unfortunately” the red plumber spoke disappointingly, which people responded negatively. “We could not return the lights to the building. None of the switches or wires was broken.”

Everyone just couldn’t believe what they heard because the mansion was well-structured and contained up-to-date technology. The storm was one of the worst in history, and it was only going to last for one day. The damages were not known since all sources of communication were restricted to phones due to the blackout.

“That’s just fantastic” Master Hand replied unhappily and sarcastically. “Looks like we’re stuck like this for the rest of the day.”

“What about food?” Link asked since people were going to starve as it was still early in the afternoon.

“Without electricity, we cannot make food the way we used to do.” Master Hand softly clenched his hand into a fist, contemplating on this situation. “We make it by using our own imagination.”

“Imagination?” Fox asked who was a bit confused.

“This time, I want you guys to figure out what to do. I’m not your parent because most or all of you are capable enough to be independent and learn things by yourself. So, think creatively.” Master Hand waited for someone to think of an idea. He was a very patient person since he was the calm, serious one unlike his wackier, sillier hand that was his brother.

“Is anyone hungry?” Fox asked everyone in the common area. Nearly everyone raised their hands, creating some stress with the veterans. “Oh, I see” he commented, expecting that many were hungry.

“Any suggestions?” Mario requested to all the people who raised their hands.

“There’s a fireplace right there” Sonic pointed his finger at the center of the common area’s dimensions. “Some people can bring wood while some can use their fire abilities to cook things up.”

With his response, everyone liked the idea since it was the only way to heat up food. To prepare, the heavyweight fighters picked up large wood while everyone else obtained utensils and foods from the kitchen. Palutena and Lucina joined in to assist and not be lazy and selfish if both didn’t aid. Numerous pans and sustenance were collected in order to feed everyone as fast as they can. Bowser, Ganondorf, King Dedede, Mario, Link, Fox, and Yoshi returned with piles of thick wood that was enough to last for hours, which was what they needed. The wood carriers placed their items in fireplace, filling up the space inside while the doorway to the chimney was open.

“So who wants to start the fire?” Sonic asked since he wasn’t able to do so.

“I got fireballs” Mario replied, displaying his red fireballs that were on his hands.

“Me, too” Luigi joined in with his green fireballs.

“Don’t forget about me” Bowser pounded his chest. “My fire breath can easily start fires.”

Charizard joined and copied the Koopa King’s pounding chest to himself routine since he had fire breath as well.

“Hey, my brother and I got a fire-casting spell we can use” Robin said, showing her book of spells.

“Pffh,” Falco scoffed, interrupting and disrespecting the female tactician after she turned him down for a date. “Your fire spell is weak because you’re a woman. They are physically weaker, making you weaker, too.”

“Excuse me, chickie?” Robin replied angrily.

“Don’t you ever call me that” Falco infuriatingly answered back, acting differently when being called chickie.

“Why because you made a rude comment to my friend, Lucina, means I’m forbidden to call you something you don’t like?” The female tactician walked up close to Falco and stared at him coldly. “Don’t try to be a hypocrite, birdman. If you want me to stop calling you chickie, then never _ever_ call Lucina that c-word again. You got that, punk?”

“You know, you’re even cuter and more beautiful up close” was his first response.

“You’re insane.” She took a step back, feeling like she can’t get this guy to simply answer her question or demand. “What the hell’s wrong with you? Just answer my damn question!”

“Chill, baby. Ok, I’ll never call your friend a c-l-o-n-e, under one condition” Falco smirked, preparing to go for a second chance.

“Just say it, dammit” Robin replied impatiently, knowing what he wanted from her.

“If you go on a date with me” he finally spoke out loudly, confident enough for Robin to accept his terms.

“Don’t do it!” Yelled a black-winged angel who stood up, feeling tense and uncomfortable between Falco and Robin. He caught both of their attention. “He’s just putting you in a win-lose situation.”

“No, I am not!” Falco hollered at Dark Pit, denying the allegation against him. “I’m getting something good out of this while she does as well.”

“That is bullshit!” Dark Pit screamed back, clenching his fists nervously. “This is what you want, Falco, and I’m not letting you do that.”

“Oh, shut up, Pittoo” he said provocatively, knowing that would enrage the black angel.

“AAHH!” Dark Pit shouted, covering his ears with the name “Pittoo” locked on his mind in an echo. “Never call me that!”

“Too bad, that wasn’t part of the deal, Pitt-“

“ENOUGH!!!” Robin shrieked as she couldn’t bear hearing two guys argue. Falco and Dark Pit were silenced, and she took a deep breath before talking to the dark angel. “Dark Pit, it was cool of you to stand up like that, but I cannot tolerate Falco here annoying me with flirting or whatever nonsense he has on his sleeve. If this is the only way for Falco to zip his lips, then it’s fine by me.”

“Woah, woah, woah, what?” Falco asked for another confirmation that Robin just accepted his offer. “You serious girl?”

“Unfortunately,” Robin began unhappily and disappointingly. “Yes, I am serious.”

“But, Robin,” Dark Pit said with a bit of sadness in his tone as his eyes were a little watery.

“I’m sorry, Dark Pit; I’m doing this for a friend. I have to protect her from pain. I hope you understand” Robin spoke to Dark Pit, feeling sympathetic for him.

He sighed deeply, trying to hold back the depression and the possibility of tears. “Yeah, I understand. You just go on this date and have fun.”

“Thanks for understanding” she thanked the black angel. Her focus shifted to Falco who was all giddy and exuberant. “One date only. This Friday at 7, got that?”

“Hell yeah, woman” Falco answered back, not caring what he was saying to Robin. “I’ll make your night the best night you’ll ever experience.”

“Oh, joy” Robin dully responded, twirling her right index finger in a circle upwards.

Falco walked towards his captain, bragging everything about it. Fox was still in disbelief that Robin agreed to go on a date with his teammate. Lucina was flabbergasted by Robin’s decision to go on a date with Falco because she disliked him. She tried to figure out why the female tactician complied with the bird’s condition. She challenged herself about if she really knew about her friend.

Without Falco looking, Robin went to Dark Pit, who was sitting by himself and possibly crying about what just happened. She tapped his shoulder, hoping he wasn’t too upset on her. He was somewhat.

“Leave me be” Dark Pit said, still having his face planted on a small pillow.

“Listen, Dark Pit, if it makes you feel any better, do you want to hang out with me right now or even later this week?” Robin asked because she hurt someone’s feelings, and she disliked it. She’ll try what it takes to make things up.

The dark angel finally lifted his face from the soft pillow and looked at Robin with part of his eyeballs being red. “Later this week would be nice.”

“Awesome, but what are you going to do now?”

“I just want to be left alone.”

“Hey” she softy touched Dark Pit’s right shoulder with her left hand, making the black angel’s face reddened by a tiny bit. “Don’t worry too much about Falco and me; he’s just desperate.”

“No kidding” he agreed. “I hope nothing good comes out from that date.”

“Funny” Robin giggled before speaking out to Dark Pit that gave him a large light on hope. “One more thing before I go, I rather date you than Falco. Let’s keep that away from the bird.”

“Promise kept” Dark Pit smiled before the female tactician departed to start the fire with two plumbers, a turtle, and a Pokémon.

_I can’t believe I actually am going on a date with Falco,_ Robin thought to herself. _I told him ‘not a chance.’ Looks like I can’t translate my words into action. I’m so dumb._

The six fighters, including Robin’s brother, used their fire-activating abilities, making a huge fire in the fireplace. Mario was the first one to cook a hamburger and spaghetti for him and his princess. He obtained the water from Greninja who willfully helped the plumber. After Mario’s success, everyone else followed, creating whatever they like to make. People made hot beverages, which Palutena and Lucina made for themselves and returned to their seat.

“I am in disbelief that Robin accepted Falco’s condition” Lucina initiated the conversation with her date.

“It’s crazy” Palutena agreed. “Maybe there’s a reason why she did it.”

“She most likely did that in order to protect me from any pain by being called” the swordswoman paused because the word ‘clone’ took an emotional toll on her. “That.”

“Definitely” she agreed again, comforting her date by bringing her close to her body. “You’re lucky to have such a good friend like Robin.”

“I still haven’t spoken about how she and I became friends” Lucina replied, assenting what the goddess said about Robin.

“Oh, yeah” Palutena remembered. “Tell me about that.”

“Robin and I never got along back in Ylisse” Lucina began her story on the origin of her and Robin’s friendship. “I always thought she didn’t like me because I dated her brother.”

“Wait a minute” Palutena interrupted. “You went out with Avatar?”

“Yes, we did” the bluenette responded without any uncomfortableness. “Back to the story, whenever I was with her, she gave me a cold, resentful expression that frustrated me. I tried talking to her by being amiable and respectful but nothing worked.”

“Sounds like you two were bitter enemies” the greenette suggested to her date.

“It indeed resembled hatred between us.”

“So what changed?”

“It changed when Avatar, Robin, and I were invited to Super Smash Brothers” Lucina paused and just grinned because of the positive outcome that resulted from the event. “Upon arrival, she still didn’t like me. My first ever match was against a pair of newcomers whom I believe were Megaman and Wii Fit Trainor. I thought I was partnered up with Avatar that time, but it was Robin instead. She told me to stay out of her way, and I, in return, obeyed her words. It was a two stock match. The event where our friendship originated was where Megaman used his fire barrier against Robin. She tried to shield herself, but it shattered and she was stunned for a brief moment. The blue fighter was going to use his arm cannon on her, but I came in to take the hit instead of her. I ended up losing my last stock from that. Robin recovered and defeated Megaman yet lost to Wii Fit Trainor. After the match, Robin came up to me with the one expression I never saw her reveal towards me before: a smile.” Lucina smiled with the thought of Robin becoming nice and respectful to her. She remembered that moment as if it was yesterday. “She saw that I protected her by being her shield and thanked me for such a brave act despite our loss. The most unexpected thing she did was hugging me. In return, I hugged her, still skeptical about her unusual behavior. Robin then asked me to hang out with her, so I accepted her offer. From there, we became good friends.”

“What a story” Palutena replied, feeling amazed by such a story. “She saw you in a different light.”

“Yes, Palutena-“

“Please, you can call me Lady Palutena” the greenette interrupted.

“Are you sure? Do I deserve to acknowledge you that way?” Lucina seemed uncomfortable but happy that she can call Palutena, Lady Palutena.

“Of course you can” she answered back nicely.

“Yes, _Lady_ Palutena” the swordswoman said. “I also found that she didn’t hate me because I dated her brother. We began our friendship during my relationship with Avatar.”

“She used to dislike you because of who you are then?” Palutena asked.

“Most likely” replied the bluenette.

“But I’m glad you and Robin became friends; otherwise you and I wouldn’t have dated at all.”

“Ehh…umm” Lucina fidgeted her fingers awkwardly. “Yes, it would have been a different outcome.”

“Another thing” Palutena stopped for a drink of her tea. “What happened between you and Avatar?”

“During our time here, Avatar spent more time with people than me, and I’ve been getting negative criticisms and…” she paused, holding back her emotional pain. “…Hatred from everyone. Avatar and I argued more frequently than ever before, so our relationship terminated because of those factors.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that” the goddess apologized her date for speaking about her break-up with Avatar.

“It is quite alright” replied the bluenette who didn’t mind about the apology. “At least he and I are still friends.”

“That’s the good thing to hear.”

Lucina nodded and sipped her tea. She placed it on a coaster when she finished her beverage. The swordswoman began musing if her date had previous relationships before her. “Lady Palutena” she initiated.

“What is it, Lucina?” Palutena replied. “What’s on your mind right now?”

“Have you dated anyone else here at Smash before me?”

“Not really” responded the greenette as she thought over about male fighters who tried asking her out. “However, some guys did ask me out, but I turned them down.”

With that response, Lucina was relieved that no one dated Palutena before she did and smiled because of that. “That’s good thing to hear.” She said before realizing what she actually replied to the goddess.

“Aw, that’s so cute” Palutena found it funny that the swordswoman was relieved that no one else dated her. “You didn’t want your goddess to date anyone else because you like me?”

“Um…What I was…I mean it’s just that” stuttered the bluenette. She fidgeted her fingers shyly and awkwardly.

“Don’t fret, Lucina, I was joking.”

“Oh,” Lucina felt dumbfounded that it was a joke. “I should have seen that coming.”

“Yeah” the greenette chuckled, finishing her hot beverage.

For hours, everyone enjoyed a time without any modern technology like being in the outdoors but was inside a mansion. The outage brought everyone closer as friends and gained trust in each other. One bad event generated numerous positive outcomes. Master Hand was pleased to see what he witnessed. Instead of constant bickering and awkward silence, he saw teamwork and respect, which he liked.

“Attention all Super Smash Brothers fighters” he spoke out loud to his invitees. “I have to say something about what I have witnessed. First, I just want to say how I am delighted to see that everyone worked together as a team and how many of you did not rudely talk back to each other. It revealed to me that you all do care for each other to a certain extent by not having one person or more slack off during your teamwork during times of trouble. I am proud to say that I have invited the right type of people for this Super Smash Brothers tournament. You all deserve something valuable in return.” With some luck or coincidence, the lights in the mansion were turned back on, engendering the crowd of Smashers to cheer since electricity was restored. “Fascinating.”

“Now what do we do?” A blue anthropomorphic hedgehog asked who just finished consuming his handmade chili dog.

“Like I said, you guys deserve something in return. This is it.” The hand pointed at the lights. “I wish you guys a safe and good day” Master Hand replied before he returned to his office.

Just like that everyone cleaned up, washing and rinsing the kitchen utensils and disposing leftovers in the trash, and resumed their own normal lives.  Although they discontinued the fireplace socialization, the Smashers remained at the common area, just talking to each other and being closer to each other as Master Hand commented previously. Palutena and Lucina were still on the two-person couch for an extra hour. The two spent a great time together without any outside interruptions, feeling like a real date. It was by far better than the first one.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the two had done many activities. One of them was billiards. The goddess won a few games, and the bluenette won some games as well. Their winning rates and skills were equivalent, making the competition better. During their time playing pool, Lucina disclosed about how she and Robin once played pool after the last preliminary match and saw her date enter the mansion. She also mentioned the strange, warm feeling she felt when she took a glance at the greenette. Palutena again found it adorable for Lucina to feel that way when seeing her afar. After rounds of billiards, the two joined a large group of Smashers to watch a two-part movie at the common area. It was an adventure type of movie, which everyone enjoyed. The entire thing lasted over five hours with enormous amount of popcorn and sodas consumed and drank. When it was over, all participants applauded the two-part movie for being visually stunning, emotionally powerful, and having a well-developed plot. After the movie, everyone called it a night and went to their rooms to get some sleep. Palutena and Lucina were in front of the swordswoman’s room, saying their goodbyes for the night.

“I had such a wonderful and memorable time with you” Lucina said contently to her date.

“Same here” replied Palutena who grinned and was happy spending time with Lucina. “By the way, tomorrow I start training for the finals. Do you want train with me?”

“Yes, yes, of course I want to train with you!” The swordswoman spoke back exuberantly.

“Excellent,” the greenette said, going for a hug to Lucina. “I’ll see you tomorrow around in the afternoon, honey.”

“I’ll…see you the next day as well” the swordswoman slowly responded as she blushed by her date’s hug and the term ‘honey’.

Palutena released her hug and walked away, returning to her room to rest for the night. Lucina stood there and smiled after the hug, knowing that everything was going to be alright.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A couple of days have passed since Lucina’s second date with Palutena. As promised by the goddess, she and Lucina met at the training complex every day after the second date in the mansion. At the facility, the two had used equipment that the building offered: practicing strong and weak attacks with a sandbag, improving reflexes, and developing combos. However, there was one place that Lucina refused to go to every time, the virtual training room. The horrific memory of the bluenette’s Falchion penetrating through the goddess’s body kept resurfacing Lucina’s mind vividly. She wanted to avoid that one room that almost made her breakdown as much as possible. Whenever Palutena wanted to enter in the room in order to catch up with other finalists, Lucina was twenty feet away from the door as if she was given a restraining order. The greenette ended up being alone in the computer-generated room while Lucina stood outside, watching her crush performing well in practice runs.

On a late Saturday morning, Lucina was getting prepared for another training day with Palutena while dressed in her battle attire and held her Falchion on her right hand. Before exiting the mansion, she noticed Robin who held a cup of coffee and looked like she saw a ghost.

“Robin,” Lucina said as she walked towards her friend who was sitting at a table. “May I join you for a moment?”

“Oh, hi, Lucy” Robin replied after zoning out for a brief stint, appearing that she wasn’t listening to Lucina. “Yeah, you can join me for a moment.”

“Thank you” she said, taking a seat across from her friend. “May I ask are you feeling normal today?”

“I seriously don’t know, Lucy” the female tactician replied, taking a sip of her coffee and slamming the cup on the table, causing a little spill. “I seriously don’t know.”

“Why is that?” The swordswoman questioned.

“It’s yesterday’s date with Falco” Robin said slowly, feeling regretful yet fascinated by yesterday’s events.

“Oh,” Lucina remembered that her friend had a date with the bird after negotiating a deal during the blackout in the mansion. “How did the date go?”

“Oh, crap” Robin began, becoming uncomfortable to tell the story, which Lucina never saw before. “I guess it’s better sooner than later.” She took a deep breath before revealing the event. As told the story, she made nonverbal gestures. “I was getting all dressed up for this unbelievable date. I finished the last touch of combing my long, awesome, grey hair when a knock came from my door. It was obvious who it was because it was exactly seven o’clock, so I opened the door and saw Falco. I’ll admit he looked pretty good with the simple plain white polo shirt, dark blue pants, and the black blazer. He went with the casual style clothing, which is a favorite for me. Continuing on, he gave me compliments, which I would have expected, so I pretended to appreciate those comments. Afterwards, we went to our dinner date at a place called, ‘A Taste of Smashness’. Seriously, these restaurants are trying to be humorous with their rudimentary puns. I mean I could make a better restaurant name if I wanted to. Back to the story, we ordered a lobster with side orders that we usually like. Usually, I wouldn’t be interested in his stuff, but something happened…something.” Robin paused intentionally in order to give suspense and get Lucina to ask curiously.

“What sort of event occurred?” Lucina asked inquisitively.

And so Robin was right.

“He acted like a real gentleman!” She yelled, causing Lucina to flinch.

“A real gentleman?” Lucina inquired. “What attributes constitute him as a gentleman?”

“The way he opened the door for me when we entered the restaurant, he bowed to me as if I was his majesty. He treated our waiter with high nobility and respect.” Robin took another sip of her coffee before returning to her story. “I was just astonished and stunned to see him this way before. It made me feel…different towards him.”

“Did he treat you differently?” The swordswoman continued with questions.

“Yes!” She exclaimed as her eyes opened in disbelief. “When we were deciding on what to get, Falco initiated small talk to me by asking about my day. I responded by saying it was a good day and what I did, and then I asked him about his day. He said the same thing but added that it was due to the date with me. I felt odd because he cared about me; I just never saw that before, so I replied that he was very nice for saying that. Then the waiter arrives to write our order. Falco let me take my order first, and I had a craving for lobster for some unusual reason. He wanted the lobster as well, so we just got the lobster and whatever sides we wanted. After the waiter left, Falco told me that he’s into acting. I replied by trying to do some acting on me. In honesty, I almost laughed my ass off since I can’t imagine him in theatrical arts. But I had to give him a chance, so he does an excerpt on a tragic love story, and it blew me away.”

“It blew you away?” Lucina suddenly became drawn into the story, becoming interested about a possible romantic relationship between her friend and Falco.

“His eyes were so sincere, open, and…handsome” Robin felt disgusted and ashamed by saying the one word she described Falco, handsome.

“Oh, my” the bluenette gasped, appearing surprised by opening her eyes a little bit. “Robin…”

“It gets worse!” Robin cried back. “Falco then asked me about my life into more detail and I did. He was so interested in everything I said that it had me contemplating if Falco is really a good guy in a way that he isn’t an arrogant jerk. We also had so much in common that…that I felt closer to him like I knew him my whole life or something.”

“Wow” was all Lucina could say. She was glad to see that her friend may have some affection towards Falco.

“Ugh” Robin whined back. “It’s not done. After the dinner that lasted for so long with the entertainment, we called it a night and returned to the mansion. We stood at my room’s front door, enjoying a few laughs before saying goodnight. We both said to each other that we had a good time tonight and hugged afterwards. Then…” Robin felt horrified to reveal something to her friend that made her look vulnerable and paused for moment to gulp her saliva. “For some unknown reason, I said to him, ‘I really like you, Falco. I hope we can go out again sometime’. He replied, ‘I feel the same way to you, Robin. How about next Friday?’ And I complied with him and went to bed.” Robin covered her eyes, disappointed by having an amazing time with Falco.

“Robin” Lucina spoke and patted her friend’s shoulders supportively. “It’s okay to like him for who he is.”

“Are you sure?” She requested for confirmation.

“Of course” the bluenette replied, smiling to make her friend feel better. “I still cannot believe all of that happened.”

“That’s because it didn’t” Robin said by making a facial expression that exposed her lie.

“Hold on a minute” Lucina said, becoming bewildered by what Robin just revealed. “I don’t quite understand.”

“Lucy” a smile formed on Robin’s mouth before chuckling that the swordswoman bought the story. “That story never happened. It was all a joke or a lie if you will.” She began laughing.

“Why would you lie to me like that?” Lucina felt a little upset about Robin’s deception.

“I wanted to try acting to see if I was good at it, which I am” Robin responded. “For your information, Falco did mention acting, which had me thinking if I should try it, so I tested it one you. It shows that I got potential of becoming an actress.” She added.

“I perhaps should have seen that coming” Lucina commented, giving a half smile to Robin. She was still confused and dumbfounded by the tactician’s interest in acting.

“It’s all good, Lucy” Robin said, tapping her friend’s shoulder with her fist playfully.

“So could you tell me what _really_ happened?”

“Sure” the tactician replied honestly. “It was a terrible date. He actually tried this exquisite gentleman image, but it was horrible. He did look good, I’ll admit that. But in the end, he wasn’t himself, so that’s why it was a horrendous date. Obviously, we’re not going to date anymore. Besides, we agreed one date only.”

“I see” Lucina started her response. “The only possible drawback is that he may still want to pursue a romantic relationship with you.”

“I know” Robin agreed negatively, sipping another of her beverage. “That’s going to be like living in hell.”

“I suppose so” Lucina responded who barely laughed at all. She looked at the clock and saw that she was going to be late for training with Palutena. Losing valuable training was one of the few things Lucina couldn’t tolerate. “Excuse me, Robin, but I’m nearly late for training.”

“With your girlfriend, right?” Robin asked, smirking intentionally just to make her friend feel a bit uncomfortable.

“S-she’s not m-my g-g-girlfriend” denied Lucina whose cheeks reddened brightly. “We’re just dating and getting to know each other is all.

“Okay, okay” the female tactician said back, raising her hands up to her chest as a sign of defense. “I’ll take your word for it, Lucy.”

“Thank you” the bluenette thanked as she stood up, preparing to head out. “I will see you some other time then.”

“Hell, yeah” Robin replied hilariously as she waved a goodbye to her friend for the time being before reading a book while enjoying her warm beverage.

As Lucina walked her way towards the training facility, she mused about Robin mentioning about Palutena being her girlfriend. The idea of holding hands was normal for her to like, but when she fantasized about holding the goddess close to her and kissing her lips passionately, Lucina stumbled and nearly tripped herself a couple of times. This “girlfriend” idea was becoming a serious, real mission on the bluenette that it made her lose focus and possibly fighting skills as well. She hoped that the relationship with Palutena moved up another step.

The swordswoman entered through the doors with such concentration and preparation. Her mentality was giving a hundred percent effort and be positive. It almost went away when only seven of the finalists were present. The strange thing to her was that she didn’t see the goddess anywhere. Palutena was usually in front of the exit doors, waiting for Lucina to come in and get ready to train. Concerned for her, Lucina walked around the area of the ground floor and asked people if they had seen Palutena. Unfortunately for the bluenette, the finalists were so concentrated on the finals that their rivals never bothered to look out for others. After searching around, Lucina had one more place to investigate, and it was unluckily the one place she tried to avoid, the virtual training room. She stood closer to the door by ten feet, breathing faster as time passed with each minute feeling like an eternity. Then Lucina drew out her hand and slowly approached the door handle. Her fear was about to be conquered, making her feeling more courageous than ever before. Before she even contacted the handle, a hand touched her buttocks, causing Lucina to flinch. “AH!” Lucina screamed, scared of what was happening. She turned around to see who was messing with her, but it turned out to be Palutena.

“Did I scare you, Lucina?” Palutena asked jokingly, smiling at the swordswoman’s reaction.

“Yes,” Lucina replied, placing her hand on her chest plate. “You nearly gave me cardiac arrest.”

“I was only joking around” giggled the goddess, defending her side from any conflict.

“Well, don’t do it here” the swordswoman demanded to her goddess.

“Oh, so you want me to grab your nice butt somewhere else?”

“Uh…I…didn’t mean that” the bluenette felt extremely uncomfortable and had her cheeks redden. “It’s just not here, understood?!”

“Of course, Lucina, sorry for messing with you” Palutena apologized.

“It’s quite alright” Lucina accepted the goddess’s apology. “I’m sorry if I was being rude.”

“You weren’t rude to me at all. It’s okay” the greenette said nicely.

“So, shall we commence training?” Lucina asked.

“Sure,” Palutena responded, nodding to confirm her answer. “But we should practice by battling opponents since my match is in two days.”

“Are you suggesting that-“ Lucina asked, hoping it wasn’t the virtual training room.

“Yes, _we_ are going to the virtual training room together.”

“I respect that you want to improve your fighting abilities, but I refuse to enter into the crime scene” Lucina declined.

“Come on,” Palutena complained, disliking Lucina’s stubbornness. “You have to go in there and face your fears.”

“It’s just that I don’t want history to repeat itself by maiming you again” Lucina bowed her head down in shame and in sadness.

“The room has been repaired, and there shouldn’t any more problems at all.” The goddess tried to make the situation seem less dangerous.

“But what if something _does_ happen?” Lucina still didn’t move her head upwards.

“Lucina” Palutena said before trying to cheer her partner up. She threw an unexpected move by placing her hands on Lucina’s hips and bringing her closer to her body. Palutena then took one hand to fix her hair, so she can see her face. “You have to listen to me.”

“P-Palutena” Lucina stuttered as she tried to get the goddess’s hands off her hips but ended up resting her hands on Palutena’s shoulders awkwardly. She blushed again harshly by Palutena’s actions. “C-could you please let go of me? I am v-very uncomfortable by your h-heavenly hands resting on my hips.”

“No” she declined Lucina’s demand. She held the bluenette’s hips tighter, making the swordswoman redder. “You need to hear me out, and since you are close to me, you’ll focus on me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I comprehend your terms” Lucina said slowly but without any hesitation since it was the only way to get the goddess to stop making her feel weird.

“Good” Palutena lessened the tightness she had on her hands on the swordswoman’s hips. She took a short, deep breath before speaking to Lucina about being concerned for any possible repeated history. “Lucina, I know the virtual training room has tormented you by the accidental stabbing of me. But what you need to realize that it’s all in the past. You have to let go of it and move on. Living in the past has caused you to miss living your life today. Instead of reminding of the virtual training room as a crime scene even though it wasn’t, think of it as a developing your own character. What I mean is learning your mistakes and accepting them makes you stronger and better as person. Think about the future, if that makes any sense to you.”

Lucina took some time to think before responding to her crush’s argument. Palutena did make some good points to the bluenette because the swordswoman only refused to go into the simulation room because she was with the goddess. Anyone else she was with wasn’t a problem. Lucina did want to let go of her incident with Palutena, but it was difficult because she maimed someone and had seen the pain the greenette felt. Although Palutena was considerate about it and how the virtual room was repaired to have the rarest chance of malfunction, Lucina was fearful because of the tiniest possibility of a repeated event. However, she thought of how it may conflict her relationship with her crush in the future. That was something she would die if it was lost. The past couldn’t be changed, but the future can. That was the one thing Lucina always remembered because her father, Avatar, and Robin reminded her of it whenever there was something wrong.

“Palutena” Lucina said, prompting the goddess to listen to her. “Thank you for reminding me about the future. It is not written because…”

“You and I will write it,” Palutena added. She didn’t have her hands on Lucina’s hips when she said it; she held her hands on Lucina’s hands instead, “together.”

Lucina didn’t speak at all; she was just surprised that Palutena was holding _both_ of her hands, having that same warm feeling she had before asking her out on a date. The swordswoman again blushed due to the unexpected holding hands but smiled because the goddess really cared about her, always making sure Lucina was okay with everything, and if she wasn’t, then Palutena will find a way to make her feel better, much like Robin.

“I take it that you’ll join me in the virtual room” Palutena said, equivalent to a question.

“Yes,” Lucina responded quite contently. “I will train with you in the emulation room.”

“Excellent, let’s get right to it.”

“Understood.”

The two entered into the virtual training room that appeared unchanged even with the repairs and the accident. Both ladies located a panel that had a touch screen. To register, just to be sure that it was being occupied, Smashers had to place their hands on the touch screen for an identification scan. When it was confirmed, there were two icons next to each other on the screen with one displaying battle royale while the other one was team battle. Both women agreed to do free-for-all matches obviously because of the upcoming final for the Smash tournament. After selecting the battle royale, there were five more options to choose with a question shown at the top of the screen saying, “How many fighters will be represented?” Palutena pressed the option with the number two on it and continued from there. She also selected the eight-player Smash with the stage being the Big Battlefield. The two entered the simulation area and were virtualized onto the bigger version of Battlefield.

The stage was set; six computer-programmed finalists were selected at random with Lucina as one of the non-finalists. In the first practice run, Palutena and Lucina’s placement resembled the exact session where the bluenette fatally thrusted her sword through the greenette’s body. Lucina’s fear and worriedness spontaneously came back, expecting them to never be completely eradicated. She hoped nothing can go wrong at all.

Lucina’s first target was Meta Knight since he was a swordsman, and the bluenette preferred to challenge swordfighters in order to prove who was better. She short-jumped and vertically slashed her Falchion. In response, the Star Warrior dodged by rolling forward in front of the swordswoman making him behind her. He then executed a series of lightning-fast slashes that caught Lucina in a trap. It ended with a swift uppercut that sent Lucina not very far. She quickly recovered once she contacted the ground with her back and rolled back like that was nothing. As she got up, Meta Knight was gliding towards her and performed double slashes. His sword, Galaxia, contacted Lucina’s Falchion that was positioned downwards. It engendered a counter succeeded by the swordswoman and the Star Warrior fell back. During his knockback, Lucina ran towards him and executed her sword dance in the order of forward, forward, downward, and forward, catching him in a somewhat combo move. As she attempted to deal more damage, another computer-generated fighter swooped in and spun around in the air with a surrounding of stars. This particular fighter had an assistant who was a Luma. Lucina looked up to see the one who intercepted her possible victory over Meta Knight and saw that it was Rosalina and her Luma. It appeared that she and Meta Knight were teaming up against the bluenette, so Lucina had to be extremely cautious and active throughout her battle.

“You two will never defeat me” Lucina shouted, showing determination and arrogance at the same time. She held her Falchion horizontally with the handle perpendicular to her face and ran towards the two. The cosmos queen rolled behind Meta Knight, charging up her Luma attack. The Star Warrior disappeared, causing the bluenette to either counter Rosalina’s attack or dodge Meta Knight’s Dimensional Cape. Time was going too fast for Lucina, so she just went with the first thing she saw, which was the Luma’s mother. She attempted to swing her sword vertically, but the Star Warrior appeared behind her and used his lightning-fast slashes. As the bluenette was trapped, Rosalina’s Luma was ready to launch. The strength by the Luma sent Lucina surprisingly far. While she was a little high in the air, Sonic appeared out of nowhere and roundhouse kicked her, launching her to a possible knockout. She fought back and grabbed the edge of the stage, waiting if someone was closer to her. She heard the sound of the wind becoming louder as it approached to her. Instantly, she knew it was Meta Knight, so she surprised attacked him with her Falchion. The Star Warrior rolled in front of her and tried to grab the swordswoman. Lucina dodged sideways as well to prevent a chain grab. She slashed her sword from behind her back to above her head then in front of Meta Knight in the form of an arc. The Star Warrior fell back to a distance where he had to put more effort into surviving. He attempted to fly back to the stage with his Shuttle Loop, but the bluenette hopped over him and spiked him successfully, causing him to fall straight down into the void. He never returned. Lucina landed back on the stage with her second jump. She now had one more opponent to handle.

“One enemy down, one more to go” Lucina said to herself as she repositioned her Falchion perpendicular to her body.

Rosalina called back her Luma and flew towards Lucina. She first jumped shortly and did multiple flip kicks that created a twisting galaxy. Lucina shielded herself and quickly countered by a powerful upward thrust, sending the cosmos queen upwards. The swordswoman immediately leaped upwards for another attack. She swung her blade twice horizontally: the first one being an inward slash while the second one was a full 360 outward spin. Rosalina dodged the attack mid-air and landed on her feet. Lucina tried to spike her opponent, but when she missed, Rosalina grabbed her and threw her forward, making her vulnerable for a meteor smash or being sent further so that she cannot return to the stage. The cosmos queen went for a galactic kick that could drop someone downwards for a meteor smash. Lucina was hit and fell vertically downwards, but she managed to grab on the ledge nearly costing her the match against Rosalina. She then threw herself upwards and slashed her opponent in an uppercut-like motion. Lucina rushed to the first-level girder and jumped as high as she could. She positioned her Falchion for a powerful horizontal thrust, which meant Lucina planned to execute her shield breaker move. However, she had to trick Rosalina by leaping towards other opponents, and by some miracle, it worked. The knockback was strong enough to send the queen of the galaxy into the void. Lucina used her dolphin slash to get back on the stage. When she saw sight of the entire stage, there was no one else except the green-haired goddess across from her.

“Oh, dear” Lucina said fearfully as the situation gave her a flashback of the incident. “Why does this happen to me at the worst circumstances?”

Lucina and Palutena were ready to face off against each other. The goddess started out with a powerful move by using her ethereal wings. Lucina, in response, countered back the smash attack, making the goddess fall back at such distance considering that she fought other fighters who gave her a decent amount of damage. She ran towards the greenette hoping to cease the match. As Lucina pulled back her blade that barely scraped the ground, Palutena recovered and saw her opponent charging at her. The goddess wasn’t panicking or frantic about her situation; she was rather calm and relaxed as if she knew what was going to happen. She summoned a colorful yet transparent reflective barrier to push back the swordswoman.

“Autoreticle” Palutena softly said as her staff locked on Lucina as the target and blasted three bright blue spheres. Lucina was stunned for a moment, and Palutena flew towards her and grabbed her. She then threw her down, which made Lucina bounce upwards and away from her. The greenette jumped towards her and spun her staff around her four times. It sent Lucina a little further than she expected, so Palutena swiftly flew towards the ground floor and prepared for a potent blue blade attack. Lucina was right above the goddess and caught a glimpse of her plan, so she intentionally fell towards Palutena. And when the greenette unleashed her upper smash attack, the bluenette dodged it mid-air and went through the first-level girder to land on her feet quickly. Lucina grabbed Palutena and threw her off the stage. Palutena attempted to get back on the stage but saw her opponent coming at her. She side-dodged in order to prevent a meteor smash, however, Lucina risked a second jump, catching a surprise expression from the goddess. The swordswoman’s body was nearly ninety degrees because her Falchion was below her feet. She slashed horizontally, striking Palutena on the head, engendering her to plummet downwards. A blue flash appeared in front of Lucina, signaling her that the match was over. She had finally won against Palutena but felt unsatisfied with it.

The two were transported back into the simulation area, and both felt some muscular pain, but it wasn’t too severe. It was minimal.

“Well, congrats” Palutena commended Lucina for performing outstandingly. She clapped for her with a huge smile on her, showing that she wasn’t even upset that she lost. “You defeated me. You’re getting so much better.”

“Thank you for applauding me for my victory” Lucina replied, feeling guilty for hurting her crush. Her facial expression displayed a different meaning, which the goddess noticed.

“Something wrong?” The greenette asked, wondering if Lucina was okay. She walked closer to her, entering to her personal bubble.

“Yes,” the bluenette responded remorsefully. “Because of my rash actions, you received pain from me. I’m so sorry for conducting such an irrational move on you and-“

“Lucina!” Palutena shouted to silence the swordswoman. She then held both of Lucina’s hands again, making Lucina smile and blush simultaneously. “You don’t have to apologize for hurting me. It’s only training, so it doesn’t matter at all. We’re doing this in order to improve our Smash game. So no unnecessary apologizes to me, okay?”

“I understand” Lucina commented back, feeling a huge relief from her since her crush was never mad at her. “So you’re not upset at me?”

“Not at all” Palutena responded, laughing just a tiny bit due to Lucina’s over-reactive behavior. “Ready for the second run, cutey?” She intentionally said ‘cutey’ just to playfully mess with the bluenette.

“Uhh…umm…Y…uhh” Lucina sputtered, blushing harder than ever before. The term that Palutena called her pushed her further into the uncomfortable and awkward scale. It wasn’t such a bad thing because Lucina thought Palutena liked her just as she liked the goddess. “Y…yes, I am prepared for another training session.”

“Awesome!”

For the next numerous trial runs, Palutena ended up winning the majority of the matches while Lucina won a few. The swordswoman still felt bad for defeating her goddess but managed to hold it back against her without any hesitation or contrasting facial expressions. After the training day, the two cleaned up and met up again in order to hang out in Smash City. They had lunch at a healthy restaurant that Lucina suggested because she wanted Palutena to have the right fuel for the upcoming finals for the tournament, which the greenette deemed being adorable. Palutena and Lucina then went bowling again to settle unfinished business due to a white angel’s coincidental arrival during the first date. The bluenette was still a rookie in the beginning but rapidly improved to beat her goddess in two games. It took no more than two hours before the two left to do some other activities. The next agenda was consuming dinner where the two had conversation about their day, the tournament, and about some people. Lucina mentioned about Robin’s date with Falco and how it was a disaster, making the greenette chuckle and grin. By evening, both women returned to the mansion satisfied with the day they spent together, especially Lucina. She almost spent the entire day with the woman she was attracted to, making the relationship feel closer than ever by one step at a time. Lucina and Palutena returned to the mansion and headed upstairs. They stopped at the goddess’s room first before another goodnight.

“I had such a wonderful time with you today” Lucina said, smiling about the day she spent with her goddess.

“Me, too” Palutena replied positively, stretching her arms outwards after moving around all day. “You were fun today, and I enjoyed that.”

“Thank you for being so honest” Lucina acknowledged. “Are you nervous for the finals?”

“Not really” Palutena said back.

“What’s the reason?” Lucina wondered.

“It’s because you’re supporting me in my match. Since you’re with me and dating me, there’s no excuse for being nervous.” she explained her reason.

“Ehh…uhh…you’re welcome” the swordswoman rubbed the back of her head, feeling happy for Palutena’s reason but had her face redden a little.

“Aw, you’re warm” the goddess pointed out Lucina’s blush.

“Sorry, I just warm up sometimes” the bluenette lied.

“You’re so funny” she giggled at what she thought was a joke.

“What joke?” Lucina seemed bewildered. She never intended to formulate a joke.

“Oh, nothing. Well, goodnight” Palutena said and hugged the bluenette tightly before walking inside her room.

“Palutena, wait” Lucina said right as the greenette opened the door.

“Yes?” She asked curiously.

“I wish you the best luck in the finals” the bluenette said supportively, wanting to say that all day.

“Aw, thanks for your support, Lucy” Palutena said and closed her door.

Lucina returned to her room, thinking about what Palutena just called her. ‘Lucy’, did the greenette really say that to her? The only person who called her that was Robin. She said it because she was a friend who cared about Lucina deeply. Was it possible that she told her Lucina’s nickname? Did it mean that Palutena deeply cared about Lucina as much as Robin, too? It was possible. She just smiled for the rest of the night.   


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Businesses have been closed today; stores opened early but were closed at noon; friends and families gathered together in houses for a huge party for the event that everyone was talking about. The final round of the Smash tournament was right around the corner. This event was so trending, popular, and captivating that the government had shut down for today, just to watch a major fight. Broadcasts had coverage of the stadium where a myriad of people were in their seats waiting for all eight fighters to appear on the larger version of Battlefield. Excitement rose across the entire world of Super Smash, breaking the scale of exuberance beyond this world. It was just an hour away.

The final was, without a doubt, different from the preliminary rounds. Normally the qualifying round was a time-limited, one stock match. The last Smasher standing determined the winner and automatically had qualified for the championship round. In previous editions, it was always a four-player final, but since the roster for the current edition contained more numerous and diverse fighters, the finals were extended up to eight for more action and excitement. For the championship round, it was a two stock showdown with no time-limit as the tournament will reach its end. To make things more interesting, the knockback ratio was reduced by half, compared to the regular, default setting. The match will become longer and more worthy to watch. Eight fighters enter, and one will emerge as the champion. Who will it be?

Inside the mansion, the common area was empty along with the second, third, and fourth floors. They were vacant and hollow like a deserted wasteland; it was so hollow that echoes could be heard even if a small step was taken. No Smasher, though, had exited the household besides the oldest veterans who purchased and brought in a feast of poultry, beverages, and side orders. It was like a huge house party that could go wild at any point. They were all in the theater room with a massive flat-screen television and seats that have the capacity equivalent to the roster of the fourth edition of Super Smash Brothers; a movie theater can be resembled to the theater room in the Smash mansion.

Lucina was noticeably nervous due to her stiff shoulders and knees being inward when sitting down. Her, as Robin once joked, “girlfriend” was preparing herself for the match of her life, facing the toughest, fiercest, and most formidable opponents in Smash. There was the defending champion Meta Knight who in the previous edition had a perfect record, becoming the second Smash fighter to accomplish this feat since Pikachu in the first edition. However, his performance in this Smash edition declined in intensity and quality as he lost more matches than he won. Despite his weaker transition, his will to fight, determination, and sterngth allowed him to advance to the final in hopes of becoming the first Smasher to defend the title. He was considered by many to be one of the favorites to win the crown. Also, there were other favorites such as Zero Suit Samus, Sheik, and the newcomers Rosalina & Luma and Greninja. Sonic was a mix of a surprise and expectation in reaching the final due to the transition he had from the third edition. However, the biggest upset was Bowser’s victory over Diddy Kong, which had some fans wishing that the Koopa King lost in the worst way possible. He could make another shocking upset by winning the tournament, but he needed to fight smarter and be more tactical. Palutena, because of the injury from the incident, received from critics and experts the least probability of winning the tournament or even finish the top three, which provoked Lucina negatively due to the fact that not many people believed she was capable enough to manage a strong finish. As she remained sitting down her seat and attempted to alleviate her nerves, two tacticians arrived with three drinks, two popcorn bags and took a seat with the swordswoman.

“Hey, Lucy” Robin greeted her blue-haired swordfighter. “I got you your favorite drink, acai-blueberry smoothie.” She handed Lucina the beverage.

“Thank you, Robin” Lucina thanked her friend and received the smoothie. She drank a small portion and placed it on a cup holder.

“So, you excited?” The female tactician asked to pass time.

“I am experiencing anxiety and uneasiness” the bluenette replied, shaking a little and breathing heavily and fast.

“Why is that?” The brother asked who seemed a bit worried and curious.

“It’s because her girlfriend is about to fight in the final” Robin responded playfully, smirking again to poke a little fun at the swordswoman.

“S-she isn’t my girlfriend” Lucina denied the assumption, becoming warmer than normal. “We are only in the beginning phase of our relationship and begun a closer bond. That is all.”

“I know, but it’s fun to mess with you sometimes” Robin defended herself.

“I do not mind that you conducting tomfoolery against me but please do refrain yourself from consistent annoyance” Lucina requested to Robin politely.

“I’ll try, but there will be no guarantees of that” the female tactician promised as she took a bite from the popcorn bag and a sip of her drink. Lucina nodded to accept her friend’s response.

“So Lucina does or doesn’t have a girlfriend?” Avatar asked who still was confused with what was going on.

“Let’s just say it’s not since they’re only dating” Robin explained to her brother about Lucina and Palutena.

“I see” the brother said, drinking from his soda. “How long has it been again?”

“We have been dating for almost a week but socialized with each other for nearly two weeks” Lucina responded, being specific to the male tactician.

“Interesting” Avatar replied. “Lucina, do you like being with her?”

“Of course” the swordswoman replied without any problem. “Why shouldn’t I be?”

“I just want to know because a certain sister doesn’t give me updates on you” Avatar replied, referring to his sister and giving a negative connotation on her in the latter of his response.

“I’m not your human phone, dude” Robin replied, disliking her brother’s criticism. “If you want to know what’s up with Lucy’s life, then talk to her.”

“Do you have any idea what is like talking to an ex-girlfriend who is currently dating someone else?” Avatar argued back against her sister in a form of a question, a rhetorical one if that was his intention.

“Um, are you stupid or something? Don’t you remember Shulk and me?” His sister pointed out an example of a situation that fitted Avatar’s. “I talked to him about what’s up in his life after we stopped dating. He was with Samus for a short time, I believe. Did that make me feel weird? Hell, yeah it did, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t talk to him. If he’s happy then I’m happy, too.”

“Great” her brother said sarcastically. “Do you always have to beat me in everything?”

“No, you _did_ beat me at one thing” Robin refuted her brother’s claim.

“Oh, yeah, what is it?” He asked, not caring as much as before.

“Having a relationship with Lucina” she admitted, surprising both her brother and the bluenette. She meant by being friends and inadvertently implying dating the bluenette.

“Woah, I didn’t expect that” Avatar said with vulnerability. “Sorry for what I’ve said.”

“Don’t sweat it, bro” she accepted humorously.

“Robin, you know that I’m glad to be friends with you” Lucina said, just to get that feeling off of her chest.

“Hey” Robin touched her left hand on Lucina’s right shoulder. “Ditto that. It’s such a good thing that I became friends with you.” She and Lucina shared a hug after revealing their feelings towards each other.

Then a fighter walked towards them, looking for a certain tactician to talk to.

“Mind if I join in?” Falco asked casually and directly towards Robin.

“I think we’re fine with that” Avatar said, substituting for his sister.

“Was I talking to you?” Falco rudely asked the male tactician rhetorically. “I was talking to my girlfriend.”

“Whoa, whoa, time out, buddy” Robin interfered, making a gesture with her hands to Falco to cease talking. “I am not your girlfriend. We agreed on one date only and nothing else.”

“Please, baby, don’t try to hide it, just embrace it” the Star Fox ace pilot said, just to make himself feel better.

“Oh, you’re right, handsome” Robin sarcastically said but sounded very convincing. “I should stop running away from my fears and embrace my love for you.”

“Wait, really?” Falco asked for confirmation, feeling like he was thrown off by Robin’s words.

“Yeah,” the female tactician wrapped her arms around the bird’s back neck. “Our love is so real that it literally hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, sexy, it’s about time you came to your senses. Come here, you” Falco placed his hands on Robin’s hips and went for a kiss. He then groaned in pain as Robin’s right knee struck the ace pilot’s crotch. He fell down and covered the area of pain.

“See, love does hurt” Robin reiterated her previous statement.

“Ergh, someday you’ll pay for this” Falco barely completed his response with the pain from his crotch becoming worse. He miraculously got up and headed towards his seat.

Robin sat down, being proud of her actions against Falco. She consumed some popcorn and drank her beverage nonchalantly. There was awkward silence between the three for a short moment.

“That was just hardcore” Avatar spoke first, shocked to see her sister knee someone’s nuts hard.

“He’s annoying me, so I had to shut him up” his sister replied, defending her act.

“However, your actions are irrational and violent” Lucina refuted her friend. “You could have chosen a more rational, sophisticated, and mature alternative such as talking to him to leave politely.”

“Nah, that’s not my style” Robin said, declining the swordswoman’s suggestion.

“Well, I unsuccessfully compromised terms with you” Lucina said, submitting into defeat.

“Well, at least you tried” the female tactician spoke back, giving some support to her friend. She took a glance at the television and saw the countdown clock, which was five minutes before the final. “Oh, Lucy,” Robin communicated to the bluenette.

“What is it, Robin?” Lucina replied in a form of a question.

“The match is about to begin in five minutes. You should wish a good luck to Palutena at the white room” Robin suggested.

“I already gave my support to her two days ago” Lucina countered Robin. “There’s no need for me to repeat my verbal speech again.”

“Yeah, there is” Robin repudiated the swordswoman. “It can give some motivation to her fight stronger and besides, she might be a little sad since you never said ‘good luck’ to her earlier this day.”

Lucina was challenged again by the female tactician who seemed to best her nearly every time. _Why is Robin consistently correct every time it’s about Palutena and me?_ She thought to herself. Consequently, the bluenette felt guilty and ashamed since she believed that she wasn’t being, in Lucina’s terms, a good dating partner. So she got up and decided to follow her friend’s suggestion. “I have an appointment elsewhere. Please excuse me Robin and Avatar.”

“Go ahead, Lucina” Avatar said, understanding his former lover’s situation.

“You go, girl” Robin added with her supportiveness and humorous tone together.

The swordswoman left the theater room and rushed to the white room to meet with her goddess one last time before the match.

In the white room, all eight finalists were warming up either by stretching or lightly moving around to prevent muscle tightness and injury. Master Hand wasn’t present as he was being interviewed in the pre-game press conference and hosted the tournament final. Besides the finalists, security guards inside and outside the white room patrolled the area for safety measures. A human being with a clipboard and a wireless microphone entered through the white room as this particular person was the manager of Super Smash Brothers while Master Hand was the creator.

“Five minutes” informed the Super Smash Brothers manager while holding the door, showing that he or she was in a rush. “Five minutes before the final. Final call.” The manager exited the white room.

The finalists made one last check to confirm that they were present and prepared to fight for the gold. They all continued to not interact with each other, looking like they were dead to each other. Outside the white room, a swordswoman was halted by the two security guards.

“May I be granted permission to enter into the white room?” Lucina asked formally.

“Are you one of the finalists?” One of the security guards questioned the bluenette.

“No, I am on the roster of Super Smash Brothers” the bluenette responded, becoming impatient to see Palutena.

“Are you sure?” The same security guard asked again. “I don’t think two of the same people can be on the same roster.”

Lucina froze and balled both hands tightly into a fist. She felt a mix of resentment and sadness because one of the security guards made an implicit, rude insult to Lucina because she was a clone. “I advise you to NOT call me that!”

“But isn’t that who you are?” The second guard added in his or her question.

The bluenette began to tear up but not noticeably since she didn’t want to look weak and vulnerable. It was something Chrom told her many times before.

“For the last time, do…not…call…me…that!” Lucina shouted out.

“We do apologize for the inconsiderate comments we’ve made towards you” the first security guard spoke up to apologize.

“We won’t do that again, cl-“ the second security guard couldn’t finish the sentence as the white room door was opened. There a green, emerald-haired goddess stood there, overhearing a screaming voice she recognized.

“What’s going on? Are you okay, Lucina?” Palutena asked the bluenette, sounding worried about a possible bad situation.

“We apologize because we were questioning if this person is a Smasher or not” replied the second security guard.

“Are you freaking serious?!” The goddess became upset for the guards disregarding her date as some person rather than a Smasher. These two securities knew everyone one the roster for Super Smash Brothers, but they viewed Lucina as not one of them due to her being a clone. She silenced herself and took a deep breath. “Just let her in.”

“Very well.” The second guard regretfully gave in and allowed Lucina to walk in.

The swordswoman entered inside the white room with most of the fighters making strange or disappointing looks at Lucina. She wasn’t aware that people were making negative or neutral impressions on her because the bluenette focused on the greenette. “Thank you for getting me out of that horrific event.”

“No problem” replied Palutena, smiling for helping Lucina. “I got to help someone I’m dating, am I right?”

“Yeah” Lucina fidgeted her hands awkwardly since the goddess mentioned that the two were dating.

“I made you uncomfortable again” Palutena pointed it out.

“It’s quite alright” the bluenette said, grinning that it was okay. “You were being a good…um…dating partner.”

“Of course, but I don’t know why you’re here so late. The match starts in a minute” the greenette became confused why Lucina suddenly came to her.

“Oh,” Lucina remembered why she was here. She didn’t have much time left, so she needed to quickly and briefly speak her support for her goddess. “I wanted to say I wish you the best luck for the final. You’ll perform well above others. I believe in you, Lady Palutena.”

Palutena was fine with the “good luck” speech, but when Lucina addressed her as “Lady Palutena” and how she had faith in her, it partially penetrated Palutena’s emotional side. As a result, she hugged Lucina tightly and rubbed her hands on the bluenette’s back, making Lucina blush. “That’s so sweet of you to tell me that before my match. Thank you, Lucina.”

“You’re welcome” Lucina said and smiled back, holding tightly as she could.

“Yo, Palutena” said a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog who was already in his pod. “It’s time to go.”

Palutena turned and saw that time was almost up. The match was about to begin with teleportation tubes closing. “Oh, shoot. Lucina, I have to go now.”

“Go ahead and win this for you and Pit” the bluenette replied, walking towards the exit with the door handle on her hand.

“I’ll also win this for you, Lucy!” Palutena hollered nicely before the pod shut off any noise that could travel to anyone’s ear.

The swordswoman saw one last glance at her goddess before leaving the white room and returning to the theater room. She again grinned contently since Palutena will try to win the competition for her and had nicknamed Lucina.

The stage was set; the audience filled the seats becoming a full house. The exuberance scale was higher than anticipated, nearly breaking world record terms. At the Big Battlefield, eight indistinct distorted images were shown to the audience as a sign of the fight was about to begin. Then the creator had spoken, giving an introduction of fighters before starting the epic, ultimate, captivating final.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first ever eight-player Super Smash Brothers championship round!” Master Hand announced vociferously, giving a huge cheer from the fans at the seats and at home. “Here we have all the types of characters that sum up to the potential greatest final such as the underdogs, the favorites, and some shocking performances by previous Smashers. The rules are different but simple: no time limit, a two-stock battle, reduced knockback for more excitement, and the occasional Smash ball that will appear during the match. Now are you ready for some Super Smash?!” The cheers were extremely louder than ever before. It took a brief stint for the fans to relax and clam down. “First, let’s present the newcomers.” One by one, fighters appeared by Master Hand’s command. “We have the queen of the galaxies, the mother of all Lumas. Her fighting style has given her the edge with immunity to projectiles. She rose above the ranks exponentially and will lead her children of Lumas to victory. I present Rosalina & Luma!” The tall cosmos queen appeared at the bottom of the stage on the left side by a mist of galactic dust. “Next, the Pokémon with the martial arts of a ninja. He also rose up in the rankings as well. A fast and agile fighter, I bring you Greninja!” The Pokémon appeared at the bottom on the right side by a Poke ball where he came out with a small burst of water. “Our third finalist comes from the world of Kid Icarus. The female deity who watches from above alights. Here, I present Palutena!” The goddess walked out of the temple doors on the right side of the first-level beams, shimmering bright lights.

At the theater room, Lucina smiled and felt nervous to see her dating partner on the biggest stage of her life. Pit, on the other hand, was cheering loudly as he saw his goddess appear on the stage.

“Next, we have the veterans from the previous year” Master Hand introduced again before revealing other finalists. “He’s the fastest fighter here, the hero of Mobius, and runs faster that the speed of sound. Arriving from the third party, I give you Sonic the Hedgehog!” The hedgehog arrived in the form of a spin ball then was ready in his sparing form on the left of the first-level girders. “Our next finalist was once a newcomer in the third edition but had an undefeated record. He hails from Dream Land as one of the soldiers in the army of Meta-Knights. He’s the defending champion of Super Smash Brothers; I present Meta Knight!” The crowd cheered him the loudest since many loved him so much due to his personality, appearance, and swordsmanship. A whirling spin appeared in the middle of the low-level girders. Meta Knight appeared with his Galaxia above his round body while wrapped in his cape. “The princess of Hyrule, masquerading herself as a Sheikah to hide away from the King of Gerudos, fights as a favorite to win it all. Let’s give some noise to Sheik!” The Sheikah appeared on the first second-level beam by a puff of smoke, receiving the second most sound-breaking, loudest noise. “Now, the underdog of all finalists, the enemy of a red plumber, the King of Koopas, the father of an heir, comes here to win against all odds. Here we present, Bowser!” The Koopa King spun walked into the stage from a wall of flames. The fans chanted, “Bowwow” repeatedly, giving him an additional boost of confidence. “Next, we have the tallest and strongest female competitor. She is a bounty hunter with the zero suit, making her more agile and faster than her golden armor. The most experienced veteran of them all, I humbly present, Samus!” The bounty hunter came out of her gunship with her jet boots and was concentrated on winning as she held her paralyzing gun with both hands. She landed on the highest girder, implicitly symbolizing the strongest fighter and best of all Super Smash Brothers.

All fighters either were pumped up and eager to throw some fists against opponents or had adrenaline rushing through their veins due to anxiety. The final was seconds away, almost becoming an official match to record on. It somewhat felt like it was never going to happen at all, just a series of suspense rolling throughout the day.

“Ready?” Master Hand said, giving suspense toward the fans, Smashers, and the finalists. “GO!”

And so the battle for the crown began.

The eight finalists searched for opponents and clashed their fists or weapons against whoever. Samus targeted Meta Knight since she had some grudge against him in the previous edition due to thrashing her hopes of winning the title. In the beginning, the bounty hunter had the advantage since she gained more benefits while Meta Knight received more detrimental ones. She used her gun to stun the Meta Knight and dealt hits with her newly worn boots. Once the Star Warrior regained his balance, Samus leaped over and kicked him towards the ground causing Meta Knight to be stuck in the ground for a brief moment. She was prepared to execute her powerful kicks, but Sonic interfered with his homing attack.

“Damn it, hedgehog!” Samus cursed as she gave a cold stare to Sonic. “You ruined my chances.”

“Sorry, but this is a free-for-all” Sonic defended his actions. “Anything goes.” He attacked with his spin dash after charging it fully. Sonic contacted Samus and jumped while still in his ball form. He spun around for extra damage as Meta Knight attempted to interrupt the combo, but the hedgehog kicked downwards, engendering him to diagonally fall fast. He then threw himself upwards in the form of a spikey ball, giving more damage towards the Star Warrior. Before he ended his move, Samus grabbed the hedgehog from her gun and pulled him close. She gave some punches before throwing him off the stage, but Sonic wasn’t far away enough from the stage. He recovered easily and spring jumped to avoid any early disadvantages.

Bowser interrupted the one-on-one fight between Greninja and Sheik with his Bowser Bomb, but the two side-dodged the attack. In response, the Pokémon and Sheikah attempted to retaliate by a water shuriken and needles, respectively. However, the Koopa King hid inside his shell and spun around multiple times to trap the two fighters. He couldn’t attack the two simultaneously repeatedly, so he decided to target Sheik. Bowser tried to grab her in mid-air but failed as Sheik dodged and landed on the ground. Quickly, she released a thread and pulled it back. It left a grenade that immediately was recognized by Bowser, so he evaded. Instead of the Bowser Bomb, the Koopa King hid inside his shell again and flipped himself upside down for a fast drop on the Sheikah’s head. Sheik rolled backwards, exposing an opportunity for an attack. She swiftly grabbed Bowser and threw him downwards. Sheik then executed a series of mid-air combos that ended with the new special move she obtained, which was a Bouncing Kick. She flipped forward and connected her opponent with her feet. Bowser flew back but wasn’t very far due to the reduced knockback setting. He tried to fight back but was hit by a blue blade belonging to Palutena. The goddess then jumped, raised her staff and spun it around along with her own person. In addition, her halo shone, making this attack trap Bowser and sent him upwards with little distance.

“Autoreticle” she said as her staff shot three bright blue spheres that successfully hit King Koopa. She flew forward for a combo against Bowser, but a grenade exploded between Bowser and the goddess. Palutena, however, was hit and was stunned for a moment. Bowser ducked through the girders and targeted Greninja instead. Threads of thin, steel needles attacked the greenette northeast of her, which meant that Sheik was in the air. The masked fighter positioned and straightened her dominant leg for a swift diagonal spike. Another hit stunned Palutena, making her more vulnerable for an attack or a combo. The Sheikah performed a series of ground attacks consisting of a straight kick in the air and swept her dominant leg in front of her repeatedly. After the multiple double combos, Sheik made jabs to the goddess before doing the same combo again. The final strike was two forward kicks that sent Palutena a bit far.

“Oh, no” gasped Lucina as she nearly stood up in concern, covering her mouth with her hands.

“Hey, Lucy, relax” Robin said who signaled her friend to sit down, comforting her friend’s distress. “It’s only the beginning, and your goddess can fight back.”

“I’m just worried if she’ll be at a disadvantage with one stock while her opponents still maintain two” replied the bluenette who closed her eyes for a brief moment.

“It won’t happen. I’ll guarantee that” Robin added to alleviate the negative surrounding.

“Hopefully.”

After ten minutes of Smash, all eight finalists received enough damage for a potential KO. To raise excitement and nervousness, Master Hand released a Smash ball that brought a white light before it appeared on the stage. It had the fans gasping and yelling for the fighter they were rooting for to destroy it and unleash their Final Smash.

A hit from Meta Knight’s Galaxia sent it forward away from the stage. Another hit by Sonic’s roundhouse kick pushed it back on the stage. A double foot spike by Greninja moved the Smash ball downwards where a powerful spike shell shattered the ball. Bowser was glowing as yellow flares outlined his body. His eyes were translucent with yellow as well, daunting seven other fighters. Surges of lightning struck many areas of the shell, and a vortex appeared on Bowser, transforming into the colossus that everyone knew since _Melee_ , Giga Bowser.

“And holy smokes, guys!” One of the commentators shouted shockingly. “Giga Bowser has finally awakened from its eternal slumber.”

“He doesn’t look very happy either” added by a second commentator. “Those seven Smashers better avoid this monstrosity or they’ll be kissing the crowd goodbye.”

It didn’t turn out so well for the other competitors. Since Giga Bowser never got flinched from anyone’s offensive moves, it was preferred to move away from the behemoth for ten seconds. In that time limit, it wasn’t enough as the giant Koopa knocked off all seven fighters with his ice spins, electrifying upward shell thrusts, and explosive head-butts. After the short transformation of the powerful beast, Bowser returned to his normal self, satisfied with his lead in the game.

“BOWWOW! BOWWOW! BOWWOW! BOWWOW!” chanted by fans of Bowser and some other people supporting other fighters. Bowser flexed his muscles for a quick moment before the finalists respawned.

At the theater room, Mario, Luigi, and Peach booed at their arch nemesis for having a lead in the game. It was expected that those three would make negative impressions. However, they never thought Diddy Kong would boo at Bowser as well. Why shouldn’t he? He was angry and had a grudge against Bowser for defeating him in the qualifying round. The monkey was arrogant and cocky at that time since he celebrated prematurely, which led to his demise…as in a loss of course.

Lucina became not devastated but rather terrified that her crush was losing. She didn’t interpret it was tied for second; she saw Palutena’s situation as no hope. The greenette, as seen by Lucina, had no chance against any of the finalists since they were all more prepared than she was. Lucina became pessimistic based on what she saw. The swordswoman became stiff and restless, watching the game as if it was her life. She saw Palutena, and her expression was contrasting compared to the bluenette’s. The goddess became more motivated, determined, and stronger to rise up and fight back against all odds.

And so the _real_ match begins.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Come on, guys” Bowser complained playfully, teasing the finalists for being so weak. “You call yourselves Smashers?! This disappoints me.”

Certain finalists had no response and gave him cold stares. They, as a result, teamed up and blitzed the Koopa King for vengeance. He held on for a couple of attacks, but after Samus angrily held on Bowser, Meta Knight, Rosalina, and Greninja dealt Smash attacks, resulting a loss of a stock for Bowser. He respawned with a support beam under him as his body was flashing white slowly.

“You think we’re weak now?” Samus mocked the turtle, preparing for another series of excruciating pain from the bounty hunter herself.

“We’ll see” Bowser responded calmly, targeting the same fighters who ganged up on him.

As Bowser travelled downwards, Samus flipped over and kicked him towards the ground so he’ll be stuck in the ground. However, he performed his Whirling Fortress to attack the bounty hunter and to prevent such pummel. The spin made him vulnerable for an attack, which Meta Knight swooped in and executed a spinning slash that involved using his body. Greninja hopped in and slashed his water katana in the air almost simultaneously, but Bowser leaped over the Pokémon, making Greninja hit the Star Warrior. The Koopa King then performed his powerful Bowser Bomb, sending the ninja at a very short distance. He jumped and grabbed the Pokémon in mid-air, leaped up higher in the air and abruptly body-slammed him towards the third girder of the first-level beams. Another higher elevated knockback was the result of the attack. Right before King Koopa went for another Flying Slam, an orange, plasma-like object contacted Bowser, causing him to be stunned for a brief stint. A second 180 flip and double stomp forced Bowser to be buried in the ground.

“You’re mine” Samus softly and dauntingly said as she prepared for a powerful double kick from her jet boots.

“Oh, damn” Bowser cursed as he closed his eyes for an expected blow to the face.

Before Samus could kick the living hell out of Bowser, Sonic furtively was behind the bounty hunter and charged up his powerful punch. It hit her back and sent her above the turtle. Bowser jumped out to shoot scorching flames that came from his mouth at the hedgehog. Sonic evaded to escape the fire and used his homing attack to retaliate.

“I’m going to kill you, hedgehog!” Samus hollered infuriatingly as she shifted her new target to Sonic for ruining an opportunity of winning or having an early lead.

“Oh, snap” Sonic reacted as he took a step back. “Time to bail!” He ran off as a strategy to tire her out and to confuse her at the same time.

“You’re not getting away from me!” The bounty hunter chased Sonic down as fast as she could. She was obviously unable to keep up with the hedgehog’s speed and stopped moving for a quick breath.

“You’re too slow” Sonic taunted to provoke another angry response from Samus.

The bounty hunter growled, gritting her teeth to hopefully restrain her anger. Unfortunately, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. “That tears it! You’re going to be ripped into fucking shreds!” Samus cursed and screamed as she randomly shot her gun everywhere, just trying to luckily hit Sonic. She didn’t necessarily hit the hedgehog as her target; instead, the paralyzer struck Palutena who was about to combo against Sheik. The Sheikah retaliated with her combo of an upper straight kick and downswing kick rotating her leg upwards, inverted upper spiral kicks, a fast downward positioned kick, and ending it with two successive forward kicks. It sent the goddess a considerable amount of distance away from Sheik.

“No! Lady Palutena, please fight back! Don’t lose!” Pit yelled, sounding worried if his goddess were to become eighth place. He stood up having his hands wrapped up on his hair, close enough to be ripped off from his scalp.

Simultaneously, Lucina stood up as well, but this time had her hands covering her mouth. She said aloud, “Oh, no!” The bluenette spoke again but quietly, “Palutena, get back on the stage for me. Do your best to win it all.”

The white angel looked back and saw the swordswoman cheering for his goddess. He was bewildered and upset that someone he never got along with rooted for someone he cared about. “Why are _you_ supporting _my_ Lady Palutena?!”

“I’m da-I mean supporting Palutena because she and I are friends” Lucina responded, deceiving Pit just to hide the secret relationship with the greenette.

“How can you and Lady Palutena be friends if you almost killed her?!” Pit argued impolitely against the bluenette.

“It was an honest accident” the swordswoman countered, feeling a bit frightened if the argument could escalate into a more violent physical altercation.

“I don’t believe it! You’re just an unoriginal-“ was all the white angel said to attack Lucina’s person before he was interrupted.

“Okay, I’ve had enough of this!” Robin shouted intolerantly, standing up in order to talk assertively.

“Yeah, exactly” Pit’s doppelganger added in, copying and agreeing with the female tactician.

“You’re not in this conversation” Pit said to make Robin back down.

“Well, I am now” she replied. What provoked Robin was where Pit was using a euphemism for the term “clone” since that was viewed as extremely negative. “You need to get over the fact that Lucina stabbing Palutena was not a premeditated plan to murder. There was proof that it was a technical error. I mean come on, you saw that report. Accept it and move on” she added to her argument.

“Say whatever you say, but I don’t want Lady Palutena to associate with Lucina” Pit repudiated, clenching his fists.

“Hey, punk” Dark Pit came in, disliking the thought of his doppelganger being inconsiderate against Robin and Lucina. “You don’t talk like that to Robin.”

“Yeah, do you know why you’re defending her?” Pit asked, pressuring the black angel to back down or have his secret revealed.

“Don’t you dare say it” Dark Pit urged the white angel to not reveal about his secret towards Robin. He had his right hand in a form of a fist and presented to Pit for intimidation. “I’ll seriously beat the living hell out of you.”

“Robin” he directly spoke to the female tactician, ignoring the black angel’s demands. “Dark Pit’s defending you because-“

Dark Pit tackled Pit and started threatening his doppelganger with physical punches and death threats. The two were eventually separated by the people, who sat next to them such as Link, Mario and Fox. They held the two opposite color winged and personality angels until they agreed to not kill each other.

“Thank you for standing by me like that, Robin” Lucina said, thanking her friend for support.

“No problem, Lucy, I got your back” the female tactician replied, smiling for her friend. “Well, we’re missing out on a great match, so shall watch?”

“I agree. Let’s resume watching the game” Lucina supported Robin as she sat down on her seat.

“Yeah, with your girlfriend in it” Robin joked again, causing the bluenette to blush on the thought of possibly being Palutena’s girlfriend.

Returning into the match, all finalists had damage percentages over 85, which wasn’t a major problem due to the reduced knockback ratio. Before the awkward confrontation between Pit and Lucina, the damage percent was nearly over 65. Looking away from the big screen for just a small second led to missing out on many possible impressive combos, lucky misses, and unfortunate unintentional attacks from others.

Palutena struggled against Sheik as the masked fighter was faster and more adept than the goddess. She had the most damage taken out of all finalists, having a percentage damage of 106 while seven other Smashers only had an average of 85. It looked like Palutena had the biggest detriment due to her injury a few weeks back, but she didn’t let that prevent her from taking an opportunity to have a chance of victory.

“Autoreticle” she said as three bright blue spheres were shot from her staff. It hit Greninja, giving her an opportunity to conduct her chain of attacks. She precisely attacked the Pokémon with her shield as she dashed towards him. He was sent back considerably far, so the goddess jumped towards him but turned back for a surprise. She used her shield again to hit Greninja behind herself. She leaped the second time in the air in order to kick her opponent in the form of an arc below her. The meteor smash sent the Pokémon straight down, giving hope to the goddess that she calculated the distance and timing accurately for elimination. Unfortunately, Greninja landed right on the ledge of the stage with his head out of the stage. It was almost under the ledge of Big Battlefield, which made him scared for moment since he was on the brink to a loss. Palutena then was in front of him and fully charged up her Smash attack, a forward swing of her ethereal wings. When she released her attack to presumably end it all, Greninja positioned himself in a defensive stance, causing the goddess to inadvertently walk into the Pokémon’s trap. He then retaliated with a flying kick, sending the greenette almost upwards. Greninja swiftly leaped over her and stomped on the goddess with both of his feet; she plummeted downwards and impacted her back on the edge of the stage. It arched backwards, reacting from the effect of the fall and landing. Palutena struggled to stand up; giving that she had both hands on her staff and pulled herself with all of her strength, the goddess was easily feeling weak and exhausted. Her attention was lacking since she focused mostly on getting back on her feet. Suddenly, she was grabbed by Greninja who showed no mercy against her. He threw her backwards and performed a series of combos consisting of a cape smuck, which his tongue surrounding his neck motioned upwards, a front hook kick, a ninja pose that emitted a veil of water, a slash of his aqua katana in the air, a triple kick with each one executed at different angles, a quick sweep kick, and a double stomp to set up his finishing blow to win against Palutena.

“Sorry, but I got a match to win” Greninja said as he watched the goddess struggle tremendously. He had a water katana on his right hand, preparing for his strongest attack to eliminate Palutena from the match.

_I’m sorry…Lucina,_ Palutena thought to herself and closed her eyes, succumbing into defeat. _I tried my best to win for you, but I failed. Sorry._

“This ends now!” He shouted as he positioned his weapon and swung it.

“Hah!” A blue anthropomorphic yelled as he threw a punch at Greninja’s back, sending him off the stage. As the Pokémon attempted to return to the stage, Sonic rolled back and morphed into a ball. He then spun himself without making his body move forward and charged up a spin attack. When the ninja used his Hydro Pump, he was above the second-level girders, which triggered Sonic to spring into action. The hedgehog attacked Greninja and then returned to his normal form again to spin around for an extra boost. Sonic jumped for another continuing chain of attacks and damage by inverting himself and scissor kicking the ninja; it sent Greninja higher but not to a point where he was at risk of being eliminated through the sky. Sonic landed on his feet again and leaped straight upwards, followed by a more elevated height gain he utilized from his spring. He tricked the new generation Pokémon by attempting to perform another air attack, which did work. Sonic dodged in mid-air and then diagonally kicked him, meteor smashing him towards the edge of the stage where Palutena remained standing. Swiftly, the hedgehog executed his powerful backwards roundhouse kick that sent Greninja flying off the stage. It was some distance between Greninja and the edge of the stage, so he tried to put in his best effort to get back on the stage. Sonic jumped towards him and utilized his homing attack. It pushed back the ninja Pokémon even further than before. The strange thing was that he couldn’t jump in the air, so he had to rely and trust his Hydro Pump to get him back on the stage. Unfortunately, he was not close enough to grasp the edge and fell towards the void at the bottom. He was eliminated. He had lost, finishing eighth place. Sonic returned to the stage without any problem. He said with an energetic and arrogant tone, “Piece of cake, too easy.”

“Sonic” Palutena said standing up imperfectly due to fatigue, astonished to see Sonic’s actions and behavior. “Why did you protect me like that?”

The hedgehog made quick glance at other opponents and saw that they were all busy fighting against each other He made sure that no one would interfere with them during the short conversation. He then responded, “Well, a special someone of yours is watching, and I don’t want you to let _her_ down.”

“Oh, thank you, mister Sonic. I wish I could repay you somehow” Palutena replied and smiled, feeling better about her troubling situation.

“Hey, no problem, but” Sonic made some suspense at the latter of his response towards the goddess who seemed curious. “I’m only doing this for you and your special one, so don’t expect me to save you again.”

“Understood” Palutena replied.

“Good. Now go fight this for her” Sonic said before running away towards the opponents.

Palutena mused about what the blue hedgehog said to her moments ago. He mentioned a special someone who was rooting for the goddess and win for _her._ That pronoun “her” caught the greenette’s attention since no one knew about her and Lucina dating. Did Sonic know about the two? He technically did because the swordswoman told him about how she was going to her first date with Palutena. However, she revealed to him that she presumed that the goddess wouldn’t continue dating afterwards. Yet, how did he figure out that the two women were still dating? Did Sonic catch a glimpse of the greenette and bluenette hugging, which he interpreted as a romantic pairing between the two? It was all wrapped up in Palutena’s mind, boggling around so that nothing important could be found. Just when she was about to doze off a grenade exploded near her. She fell on the ground in order to prevent any more damage taken to her.

Lucina took a deep breath before resting her back on her seat. She closed her eyes for a brief stint as she blew out a huge sigh of relief that her dating partner was still in the game.

“You’re glad that your goddess didn’t come in last place?” Robin asked to confirm her friend’s behavior even though she knew it already.

“Yes, but in actuality, Greninja did not come in last place” Lucina replied, countering Robin’s statement about being last place. “He came in eighth place, out of all the fighters in the roster.”

“You don’t say?” Robin joked. “I wonder why Sonic spared Palutena’s life? Is he-“ She continued in a serious tone.

“Mister Sonic is not romantically attracted to Palutena” Lucina aggressively said to the female tactician, refusing her speculation about a possible romance between the two. “Only _I_ can be attracted to her, and no one else.”

“Aw, that’s cute, Lucy. You’re now in the phase where no one should be with her but you. You’re growing up so fast” Robin said to her friend, pretending to be in tears as if she was Lucina’s mother.

“I apologize” Lucina said with guilt. “It’s just that the relationship between Palutena and I is developing efficiently and intimately.”

“No worries” Robin patted on Lucina’s shoulders. “It’s all good, girl.”

Lucina resumed watching the match, attempting to calm down even after the scare of Palutena nearly losing to Greninja.

“GOLAAAAZO!” Bowser hilariously shouted yet maintained his serious expression as he dealt his double horizontal kick against Rosalina and her Luma, sending her past the stage and into the void. He flexed his body again to taunt people who detested him and to bring cheers from his fans.

“BOWWOW! BOWWOW! BOWWOW! BOWWOW!” His fans chanted louder as their hands pounded in the air rhythmically as his nickname had two syllables.

Bowser currently led the match with eight knockouts due to his Final Smash that gave him a large advantage earlier in the game. Two down, six more fighters remained in the championship round until one was last standing. Each finalist was facing a single opponent like a one-on-one battle: Meta Knight vs Samus, Sonic vs Sheik, and Palutena vs Bowser. When the audience, encompassing the Smashers in the mansion, saw who was fighting whom, they all shifted their attention towards King Koopa and the goddess. They knew that the greenette didn’t have a good chance against Bowser since he was still energetic in the match while Palutena wasn’t equally as much. Her muscles began feeling exhausted with her fitness being lower than all other finalists. The last thing she wanted to lose to was Bowser. She evaded and escaped many offensive moves of the plumber’s nemesis, just to drain his energy away before counter-attacking. Initially, it succeeded and progressed significantly as it frustrated the Koopa King, causing him to exert more power than before. After minutes of dodging though, Bowser comprehended the defensive strategy Palutena conducted, so he tried to manipulate her by mimicking her tactic. Whenever Palutena dodged, Bowser copied it, mocking her lack of aggressiveness and status of a Smasher. Now she became irritated by Bowser’s foolery, and fell for his trap. She struck forward with her ethereal wings, and the Koopa King escaped the glowing wings by jumping over the goddess. He flipped himself over with the spikes on his shell facing towards Palutena and plummeted downwards quickly. The goddess got hit and was sent upwards. Bowser leaped towards her for a claw attack, but Palutena dropkicked the turtle to prevent herself from being stuck in a combo chain. The greenette swiftly landed on the closest place where she can contact the ground and recover, which was the right side of the second-level girders. She did so and smashed Bowser with her blue, round shield behind herself. Palutena attempted to spin her staff and herself as her halo shone completely. However, the Koopa King was hit only four times, keeping himself safe from a potential elimination. The goddess jumped towards him again for more aerial attacks, but Bowser grabbed her in mid-air and flew up high and dove straight downwards on the highest girder. The knockback sent the greenette high in altitude, which Bowser took the opportunity to seal the deal.

“Not a chance” Palutena said loudly as she swept her foot in an arc, causing a meteor smash on Bowser. He fell on the first-level girders on his stomach.

“AAHH!” He screamed in pain as he covered the area with his hands. “The pain is real!”

The greenette landed in front of him with the perfect chance to defeat the underdog but saw Bowser in agony. She couldn’t stand that she engendered actual pain towards a villain that she barely knew yet disliked. Sympathy and guilt took over Palutena’s conscious and emotions, forcing her to hold her staff and shield next to her.

A split kick was executed by a blue hedgehog, sending a Sheikah horizontally off the stage. As she tried reach the ledge, Sonic charged up another spin dash. When he heard a disappearing and reappearing noise, he made his move and released his fully prepared Spin Dash. It hit Sheik when she landed right on the edge of the stage. Sonic swiftly turned back and forth to continue the damage chain, ending with Sheik in front of him. The masked fighter grabbed him but missed; the hedgehog, in response, held Sheik’s torso and punted her upwards, sending her up high in the air. Sonic jumped and spun himself for a horizontal knockback. He immediately landed the closest ground near him and jumped again. He was over the Sheikah, who strangely couldn’t move her muscles at all, and executed a dangerous, risky move that could end up him losing. Sonic kicked below himself, propelling a speedy diagonal spike that connected with his opponent perfectly. It was a meteor smash, and it drove her slantwise downwards with Sonic towards the void. The hedgehog cancelled his move by utilizing his spring jump as he watched Sheik crash into the void and dissipated with a blue flash appearing nearly in front of him. He had won.

“NO!” Samus screamed in echo as she was sent up in the air by Meta Knight’s Shuttle Loop that was far enough for the bounty to not return to the stage. A small but discern bright light twinkled in front of the finalists, the audience, and the Smashers at the mansion. It signaled a loss for Samus, which she despised, especially since it was against the one who ruined her chances to win the tournament in the _Brawl_ edition. Some felt sympathetic for her since she trained strenuously and rigorously for months but to only end up nearly throwing it all away for nothing.

“Go ahead” Bowser said, submitting himself into defeat. “Finish me if you want. You deserve it.”

The goddess hesitated as she slowly raised her staff and shield. She was skeptical that the Koopa King just gave up like that. It soon turned into a conflict against her own self because she wanted to finish him off yet it could be some sort of deception. She positioned her weapons away from her person and prepared for a powerful ethereal wing attack. “It’s all over, Bowser.”

“SIKE!” Bowser swung his legs lowly, anticipating his opponent to strike him forcefully. “What the?!”

Palutena hopped and charged up her Smash attack against the King of Koopas. “You’re so foolish for thinking that I fall for your schemes” she said before she delivered her offensive move against Bowser.

A blue flash arose from the left side of the stage, knocking out Bowser from the competition. Gasps immediately were the first response to Palutena’s victory over Bowser plus her automatic result in the top three. Then some applauded for her while some were in just disbelief. Nobody expected the goddess to even defeat an opponent, but her angel and swordswoman never lost faith.

“YES!” Pit cheered as he stood up again and punched his fists in the air in exuberance. “I knew Lady Palutena could do it!”

“Would you seriously not embarrass me like that?” His doppelganger replied frustratingly.

“No, I can’t” the white angel responded. “I’m just too happy.”

“Fantastic” Dark Pit said sarcastically.

Robin took notice of Lucina’s silent smile and celebration of Palutena reaching the top three. The swordswoman had her fists close together and they barely touched her chest. She was going to squeal but didn’t want to humiliate herself in front of everyone. The female tactician did not make a sound, so she can let her friend enjoy her moment.

“Robin, I knew Palutena would perform outstandingly” spoke Lucina who couldn’t hold the excitement inside of her.

“Totally,” Robin agreed. “She can relax now since there are only two more opponents for her to beat.”

“Definitely” Lucina contently replied. “Lady Palutena will emerge as champion for Super Smash Brothers.”

“I…did it” Palutena said as she thought this was an illusion. Now that it wasn’t, she felt like she could take on anything. “I reached the top 3. I can’t believe this…I’ll show everyone what I am capable of.”

“Palutena, look out!” Sonic warned vociferously as the goddess was not aware that the Star Warrior was behind her.

“What?” She turned back but not fully around as she was struck by two lightning fast, controlling, and powerful slashes from a Galaxia blade. Palutena was sent back far enough into the void where her body dissipated from the match with a blue flash appearing on the stage and at the screen. She had lost the match despite her persistence throughout this game.

“She may have performed well enough to reach at this point, but she allowed herself to be exposed profoundly without any defense or sharp focus. That is why she lost and why I took a chance in order to retain my title” Meta Knight said as honest as he was. Some interpreted as being egocentric, arrogant, or smart for doing that.

“NOOOO!” Pit cried as he sat down in sadness and slammed his hands on a table. “Lady Palutena! WHY?! THAT’S NOT FAIR! She was so close to winning, but that Meta Knight had to be cheap.”

No one else tried to talk to him even his doppelganger.

“Did she…” Lucina failed to complete her sentence, shocked to see her crush lost in a bad way. “No, that can’t be. Lady Palutena was-“

“Lucy, I’m so sorry” Robin hugged her friend for comfort. “At least she did her best.”

“Lady Palutena did more than that” the bluenette said, correcting Robin’s statement.

“Yeah” was the only thing the female tactician said.

Meta Knight went under the first-level girders and turned around to see his last opponent who was standing at the end of the stage. He held his Galaxia tightly and swung it in an upper arc; he remained in the position for the climax for the fight. The blue hedgehog bent his knees slightly, clenched his fists, and positioned himself in a fighting stance with one fist in front while the other was near his chest.

“It comes down to this” the Star Warrior spoke up. “A blue anthropomorphic hedgehog with a running speed equivalent to or faster than the velocity of sound is facing against the warrior with swordsmanship that is faster than sound.”

“That’s right; let’s do this” Sonic said, feeling confident and determined to win the tournament. “Let me show you…what I’m made of.”

“Then show me your best, blue hedgehog” Meta Knight replied, not intimidated by Sonic’s will to win.

Wind blew the wings and cape of Meta Knight while blowing through Sonic’s quills. Their eyes were showing fearlessness as the whole world was silenced by the final two fighters who were steps away into fighting for the title.  


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sonic rolled into ball form and charged up at maximum. He spun at a fast velocity, hoping Meta Knight would strike late. The Star Warrior then disappeared and reappeared behind the hedgehog for a Dimensional Cape attack. A slantwise slash had hit Sonic’s back, sending him diagonally upwards to a point where he was off the stage. Meta Knight jumped on the first-level girder and leaped towards the hedgehog. Each flap of his wings was a quick slash against Sonic so he wouldn’t have enough distance to recover. After the fourth flight, Meta Knight discontinued and returned to the stage with his Shuttle Loop. As he turned to view his opponent, the blue hedgehog jumped in the mid-air and then executed his homing attack. The neutral special attack of Sonic’s placed him under Big Battlefield, but he was still had one more chance to recover by utilizing his Spring Jump. He grabbed the ledge with both hands, anticipating his opponent to assault at any moment. When the tip of Meta Knight’s feet was at the exact line of the edge of the stage, Sonic threw himself in a momentum where it was a near-perfect right angle. The attack pushed the Star Warrior horizontally backwards towards the center of the stage. As he got up, the blue hedgehog dash attacked, rolling in a form of a ball, due to his incredible running speed. Sonic attempted to execute his backwards roundhouse kick, but Meta Knight dodged it by moving backwards further. The Star Warrior then performed his Drill Rush and struck Sonic. The direction he controlled his side special move was a downward curve. Sonic impacted on the hard, solid ground part of the Big Battlefield and tried to get up. He couldn’t as Meta Knight conducted a series of lightning-fast slashes that ended up an uppercut. The knockback only sent the hedgehog at the near ledge of the stage.

“Are you feeling exhausted?” Meta Knight asked his opponent with arrogance in his tone.

“Tired?” Sonic replied disagreeing with the Star Warrior’s question as he moderately struggled to get up on his feet. “This is nothing compared to running at my full speed.”

“Is that so?” The defending champion spoke again. He pointed his Galaxia at Sonic. “You put more effort into getting up on your battle stance, thus inferring that you _are_ depleted of energy.”

“I know when I’m tired” the hedgehog became irritated by his opponent’s knowledge. “You don’t know me, and I’ll show it to you.”

“Then come at me…if you could at least put up a fight” Meta Knight replied, insulting the blue hedgehog’s status as a Smasher intentionally.

Sonic clenched his fists and squeezing them to restrain his anger. After a brief moment of small pain from his hands, the hedgehog was ready to fight back as if he had fresh legs. “Yeah, let’s party.”

Meta Knight flew towards Sonic for a quick slash that he expected the hedgehog wouldn’t see. The next thing he knew was that Sonic’s flat shoes were in front him and flew back. Sonic ran swiftly for an upward thrust in ball form. He unfortunately missed as the Star Warrior dodged in mid-air. The masked swordsman executed another round of unbelievable swiftness from his Galaxia, causing Sonic to be trapped for the second time. After the uppercut, Meta Knight flew upwards; each flight from his wings was an upper arc swing from his blade, sending the hedgehog higher into the atmosphere. After the fifth and final flight and slash, the defending champion performed his Shuttle Loop to possibly end the game, but Sonic used his spring to launch higher into the sky to evade the up special move of Meta Knight. Then he quickly swung his right foot slantwise, which made him move diagonally downwards as fast as it could. The Star Warrior landed on the closest girder to him and luckily somersaulted forward in order to escape the attack. He then performed his Drill Rush and had the side special attack move in a form of an upper arc. Sonic was sent upwards again and at risk of being defeated to the fastest swordsman in Smash. He wasn’t going to let Meta Knight defend his title, so he allowed himself to fall away from the stage, confusing everyone encompassing the audience and Smashers at the mansion.

“What’s Sonic doing?” Robin complained as she supported the hedgehog to win over the Star Warrior. “That’ll put him at more risk of losing. He can’t be such an idiot…unless…” she paused, having an epiphany of the Sega star’s strategy. “That clever hedgehog.”

“Why did you claim mister Sonic to be clever?” Lucina asked, confused and inquisitive about Robin’s words.

“Just watch” the female tactician replied, hoping that her prediction was correct.

Lucina listened to her friend’s request and gazed at the large television. She also overheard a red plumber siding with Meta Knight, presumably because of the rivalry he and Sonic shared.

The defending champion glided towards the Sonic who was falling at a far distance from the Big Battlefield. He flew and executed a spinning slash that rotated around his circular body. However, Sonic landed on Meta Knight’s head with his right foot and pushed it downwards for a boost to recover. The hedgehog did so and ran away from the ledge in order to be secured from Meta Knight’s swords play. Reacting quickly, Meta Knight utilized Shuttle Loop in order to recover from an embarrassing act. He saw the hedgehog that still had persistence and determination glaring from his eyes.

“I refuse to lose my pride and dignity from a humiliating stomp to the face by you” Meta Knight said to Sonic, feeling disappointed in himself and resentful towards the blue hedgehog.

“I thought you should _step_ down as a champion” Sonic joked back as a response.

“Do you believe that you are humorous?” The defending champion asked, with the tone of his question slightly directing towards negativity. He didn’t give Sonic time to reply. “Your puns are rudimentary and lack of originality, just like your franchise.”

“You did not just say that” Sonic took a step forward, tensing up by a provocative response from the Star Warrior.

“I apologize for hurting your feelings, but it is the truth” Meta Knight intentionally said his provocative answers for his strategy to deplete Sonic’s energy.

“That’s it” the blue hedgehog threw down his calm and cool personality and unleashed his darker side. “You’ll regret for fucking saying that, you cheap, lousy-of-a-swordsman!” He ran towards his opponent for aggressive attacks.

“I got you” the Star Warrior quietly said to himself as he evaded every attack Sonic threw at him.

After failing to land a single hit on the defending champion with every possible fighting skill Sonic possessed, he bent his knees and placed his hands on the lower thigh that was adjacent to his knee caps. Rapid breathing continued on for thirty seconds as the hedgehog never had this problem before. His anger got the best of him as he mused on his behavior and actions. Now an epiphany came knocking on his brain, realizing that it was all Meta Knight’s plan to provoke his anger and dodge every one since all attempts drained energy more than normal.

Exposed, the masked swordsman conducted a third compilation of unspeakably fast slashes, followed by some aerial blade swings with both upper and lower arcs, a spinning slash, and a forward hit. Sonic couldn’t fight back as he was attempting to catch his breath and rest before combating again. Meta Knight utilized his Drill Rush, which arched downwards landing nearly at the right ledge of Big Battlefield. He swiftly performed his Shuttle Loop to send Sonic far enough so that he was too feeble to recover, even jumping in mid-air.

“I’m…not…gonna…give up…like that” Sonic said, grunting at the pain he received from the masked swordsman. He had plenty of strength to jump in the air to increase the probabilities of returning to the stage. The distance between where he was and the ledge was horizontally far, so he needed to take another risk to hopefully have a chance to fight back. Sonic morphed into his ball form and rose straight upwards as he spun 360 degrees multiple times. He just hoped that the trajectory of his homing attack will be a good one. It was as if it was a random shot, but nevertheless he took the chance. Consequentially, Sonic went vertically and horizontally further, crediting his perseverance. It suddenly became a close nightmare as the Star Warrior jumped in front of Sonic and swung his swords below his round mask. “Oh, snap” Sonic said before he was hit.

Sonic was sent a little farther than Meta Knight anticipated. He had no other option but to use his spring. He did. As he fell downwards, it felt slower to him than before due to his rapid breathing and adrenaline that was rushing through his body. He began to think negatively as he mused if the spring wasn’t strong enough to launch him at its optimal strength or if he grabbed the ledge but let go of it due to his slippery gloves, in which causing him to fall into the void and lose the title. It became suddenly peculiar for Sonic to think like that because it wasn’t him at all; his character wouldn’t even allow that to happen yet somehow it did. He wasn’t going to let those negative vibes surrounding his mind to supersede his own personality. The focus now became recovering from the attacks Meta Knight delivered against him. His vision became clearer, giving himself some time to react normally. Sonic managed to grab on the ledge of Big Battlefield but only for a short, one-second moment as Meta Knight stole his spot, kicking him out of the ledge. The Star Warrior got on the stage easily, but when Sonic grabbed on the ledge for the second time, he couldn’t even lift himself upwards for a recovery. Efforts of grunting to desperately get on the stage were heard by the Star Warrior and he chuckled in amusement.

“Well, it appears that the blue hedgehog has failed to get back on the stage with every strength and energy inside of you” Meta Knight said to Sonic as he saw him struggle tremendously.

Master Hand then inserted an item that had the audience gasping as their screens and the stage itself flashed white for a moment. A Smash Ball finally appeared for the true method to win the championship round.

“Oh, not cool” Sonic hollered, complaining that Meta Knight was easily going to get the item and how he was in trouble.

“Sorry, blue hedgehog, but that’s how this game goes” Meta Knight struck the Smash Ball by swinging his Galaxia upwards. “You did try your best yet” he executed his Drill Rush, which unexplainably was caught in the side special attack. “I performed better than you. Victory…” he swung his blade once. “Is…” another slash came from his sword. “My…” a repeated slash occurred. “Destiny!” Meta Knight swung his Galaxia inwardly then outwardly, making it his strongest move. Everyone expected the Star Warrior to shatter the ball and end it with his epic, cool-looking Final Smash. But what happened was that the Smash Ball was merely pushed out of the stage. “NO!”

Then a shattering noise occurred that didn’t come from Meta Knight’s Galaxia, but it came from his opponent’s. He glided back to his previous coordination spot as he saw Sonic who had red-orange flames glowing on the outline of his body while his eyes were nearly gold-colored and transparent. Did the Smash Ball give the hedgehog power? It was unusual how the item worked.

“The irony, isn’t it?” Sonic asked Meta Knight in a tone not many had heard of, knowing that the Star Warrior was done for. His tone was calm and a bit soft but had an echo to it as he talked.

“What is the irony?” The Star Warrior replied, pretending to act if he didn’t comprehend the question even though he knew.

“Don’t play dumb” the blue hedgehog said firmly yet dauntingly, making Meta Knight step back. “After making those rash comments towards Palutena and me, it’s time for you to pay the price. You’re finish!”

“No, I shall refuse to let my title be dethroned by you!” Meta Knight flew towards the blue hedgehog to get the Smash Ball out of Sonic’s person, adamant that he will still win if he played his cards right.

“Time to scrap some Meta Knight…” the seven chaos emeralds were floating around the blue hedgehog and then its power were absorbed. Sonic turned gold with his eyes becoming red instead of green. “SUPER SONIC STYLE!”

The transformation pushed back the defending champion. Super Sonic flew towards Meta Knight for an attack, but the Star Warrior dodged sideways. However, the gold hedgehog balked in order to expose vulnerability of the masked swordsman. He grabbed the mask and threw him in a semi-circle motion, ending with an impact on the ground that sent Meta Knight upwards. Super Sonic glided and flew past the Star Warrior, sending him higher into the altitude. Immediately, the hedgehog went above Meta Knight and punched his mask downwards, driving the swordsman towards the stage. Sonic was already at the bottom knowing where the Star Warrior would land based on the trajectories. He was that unbelievably fast. The hedgehog grabbed the defending champion and threw him upwards with little effort before ending the match. Time was running out as he felt the transformation time limit nearly reached its end as his gold color was becoming darker. He charged at Meta Knight with full speed, shouting, “You’re finished!” A blue flash appeared above the stage as the chaos emeralds dispersed from Sonic’s person. The blue hedgehog landed on his feet at the highest girder but collapsed from an enduring battle and the impact from his legs.

“Game!” Master Hand said with his booming voice as the audience was silenced by the event that just happened. The Smashers in the mansion were even quieter, if that was possible. Echoes could be heard from the vacant and hollow theater to show how inaudible the room was.

Sonic stood up, panting heavily from the beating he took and the damage he gave towards the seven other finalists. He viewed the area he was in as if he had no clue where his location was. For a brief stint, he looked like a lost person who had no idea who or where he was. It then suddenly came to him that he was in the final of the tournament, but no one was present. Memories started jogging back to him; he knew the message. “Did I…win?” He asked to confirm.

“And the winner of the fourth Super Smash Brothers is…Sonic!” Master Hand announced the champion. The audience cheered as loud as they could to honor the blue hedgehog for a rough, inspiring journey to win the crown.

“Yeah! I did it!” Sonic jumped up with his fists up high in the air and laid on the ground in shock. He nearly was in tears after declared as the new winner of Super Smash. The blue hedgehog eventually got up and faced the camera to celebrate his victory to the audience, the Smashers, his fans, and most importantly his friends back at Mobius.

After Sonic’s celebration, he was teleported back to the white room where all other finalists were in front of his teleportation pod to congratulation the hedgehog. When he got out, he received a huge surprise with the seven finalists surrounding him.

“There’s the winner!” Palutena shouted contently as everyone except Meta Knight hugged him, shook his hand, or rubbed his quills as a way of congratulations.

“You were awesome yet not KO awesome as me” Bowser said arrogantly, shaking the hedgehog’s hand.

“I’ll keep that in mind” Sonic replied, not putting care into Bowser’s response.

“Blue hedgehog” said a Star Warrior as the six finalists moved away so Sonic could see Meta Knight. “You have performed this game extraordinarily. I have underestimated your capabilities in Super Smash. Congratulations” he put out his right hand, offering Sonic a handshake. “You earn your title and right to be called as a champion. I am in your debt and honor, for I have accepted my defeat and loss of the title.”

“That’s cool of you to do that” Sonic replied, shaking Meta Knight’s hand and partially forgiving him for the comments and underestimation. “Don’t sweat on being in my debt or honor. Just be yourself.”

“Message received” Meta Knight replied, respecting Sonic’s orders.  

Meanwhile back in the theater room, everyone was discussing about how amazing and dramatic the final was. Pit immediately ran to see his goddess in the white room, and Lucina wanted to see Palutena as well. So she kept her distance away and was aloof from the white angel who was oblivious that he was somewhat being followed. Pit entered inside the white room, which no security guards were present. The swordswoman slowly crept at the entry door and peeked to view who was with whom. As usual, the white angel stood in front of his goddess, giving felicitations to Palutena for an exceptional performance for finishing third. Other finalists stood near them, putting their smile for Pit but not attempting to burst out a laughter or produce a snicker.

“Is there anything you want Lady Palutena, I’ll get it for you?” Pit asked, treating his goddess the way she should be treated, respect and love.

“Oh, Pit, there’s nothing you could get for me. I don’t want to be a burden” Palutena replied, giggling at Pit for being nice.

“How about something to drink?” Pit suggested. “You should be hydrated after fighting for so long.”

Palutena took a quick glance at Lucina who was still at the entry door that was wide open. The bluenette hid behind the door, just to avoid a confrontation from the white angel. Feeling bad for her, Palutena decided to do something to talk to her. “Sure, I would love some water.”

“Great! I’ll be back soon!” Pit stormed off, running as fast as he can in order to deliver things to his goddess swiftly.

“Boy, that Pit really cares for you” Sonic spoke to Palutena, sounding a bit surprised.

“He most certainly does” the goddess agreed. “I don’t know what my life would be without him.”

“Not being here, I suppose” the hedgehog responded.

“Most likely.”

Right at the door, Master Hand appeared, floating towards all the finalists to give them a positive compliment for performing so well.

“Master Hand, I’m just going to leave the white room for a moment” Palutena said to Master Hand as an excuse to see Lucina.

“Very well, but please return as soon as possible” the hand replied.

The goddess held the swordswoman’s hand and walked out the door where the finalists and Master Hand couldn’t see them. The first thing both women did was a huge hug as if they missed each other after not seeing for a long time. Lucina almost blushed by her crush’s embrace since it was tighter and closer than before.

“Palutena,” Lucina began as the two looked each other in the eyes. “You performed outstandingly and exceptionally well. Congratulations on finishing at a high placing.”

“Aw, thanks” replied Palutena who smiled by the bluenette’s compliments. “Thanks for cheering for me in the final.”

“You are so welcome” the bluenette responded naturally. “It is the least I can do for being your girl-I mean dating partner” she stumbled and reiterated her words, just to not make Palutena uncomfortable hearing the word “girlfriend.” Robin’s constant use of the term “girlfriend” was glued into the swordswoman’s conscious.

“Were you about to say girl-“ was all Palutena said before she was interrupted.

“No, no, no!” Lucina denied loudly but not stringent enough for people to hear in the white room. “I meant to say dating partner because we are indeed dating, right?”

“Oh, sure” the goddess responded in a tone where she was about to make Lucina uncomfortable. She did. Palutena had her left hand on Lucina’s back and pulled her close, making the bluenette blush a little. The goddess’s right hand was combing the swordswoman’s hair and sensually touching Lucina’s face and neck. Lucina was blushing even redder because she felt goosebumps and shivers from Palutena’s sensual touching. The crimson color was nearly covering her face and neck.

“Um…P-Palutena…” Lucina tried to get out of the uncomfortable zone but failed again. She still attempted to do so by reasoning with her dating partner. “Y-you’re making me…feel…um…like I‘m having s-shivers.”

“Oh, I’m sorry” Palutena apologized playfully. “Am I making you…” she then pinned Lucina on the wall with the greenette’s hand trapping the bluenette’s wrists and placed her lips inches away from Lucina’s lips. “Uncomfortable?”

“Uhh, umm, ehh, mmm, ehh” Lucina stuttered as she felt extremely warm and blushed at its reddest. She tried to freely move her arms but Palutena’s grasp prevented her from doing so. “Y-yes, I am…uncomfortable, but I’m…fine with it.”

“But are you fine with this?” Palutena moved her lips closer to Lucina’s lips. The bluenette became beyond nervous since she felt she wasn’t ready for this.

“AAHH!” Lucina slid down on the wall and feigned a fall that gave her pain to prevent a kiss that she believed was going too fast into the relationship. In doing so, the goddess releashed her grip.

“I take that as a no” the goddess said, not feeling regret since she liked to make her swordswoman blush.

“I apologize for my erratic behavior” the bluenette said, contemplating if it was a good choice to not to refuse the kiss. “I was not anticipating a kiss on the lips from you.”

“No, it was my fault. I like messing with you like that” Palutena refuted.

“Why is that?” Lucina asked inquisitively. She was partially irritated on why the greenette enjoyed making awkward fluffs.

“The truth is, ever since we started dating, I like to make you blush or uncomfortable because not only of your kind personality but with your cuteness. Just seeing your face become crimson makes it cute along with you trying to get out of it. Also, you as a person are cute, too.”

“Wait,” Lucina paused and had her cheeks redden. “Do you think I’m…cute?”

“Of course, don’t you remember the times I called you or your behavior cute? Palutena asked to confirm the swordswoman’s question. She then realized after looking at the clock that she took a long time with the bluenette, which wasn’t a problem with her. “It was good to see you, but I have to be present for my award.”

“Go ahead, Lady Palutena” the bluenette said, smiling for her goddess’s third place result.

“Thanks, Lucy” Palutena suddenly slapped Lucina’s butt, making the swordswoman gasp. She entered in the white room. As soon as she did, Pit came in a bottle of water that, according to him, was the only one left and difficult to find.

Lucina still was blushing from everything Palutena had done to her but smiled because she spent a short yet good time with her. The one thing that the bluenette thought over was the greenette calling her cute. Lucina contemplated if Palutena liked her back in the same way the swordswoman felt towards her. She mused about it as she returned to the theater room to view the awards ceremony. Strangely, she found the sensual touching, the combing of her blue hair, being pinned to the wall, and nearly kissing her goddess to be…very attractive.

Inside the theater room, Sonic noticed the goddess grinning much more than she usually did, making the hedgehog wonder what happened between her and Lucina.

“Yo, Palutena” Sonic spoke to her. “What happened between you and Lucina? Are you two dating?”

“If I tell you, will you not disclose this to anyone, especially Pit?” Palutena asked demandingly.

“Uh, sure, no problem” the hedgehog replied quite contently.

“Okay” the greenette took a deep breath and spoke quietly, “Lucina and I _are_ dating.”

“I can see that” the new Smash champion interrupted. “Sorry, I just had to say it.”

“It’s fine” Palutena said politely. “Anyways, I combed her hair and touched her face and neck sensually. Lucina blushed and talked back awkwardly, and I pinned her to the wall for a kiss. Sadly, she freaked out and pretended to fall down from an injury as an excuse to not get kissed by me. Afterwards, time was running out because of the awards ceremony. Before I returned to the white room, I sorta tapped her ass.”

“So you made awkward moves on her why?” Sonic asked.

“Well, don’t insult me or anything, but I like Lucina. I really do, but making awkward fluffs towards her is fun to do” the goddess explained her reason, which she expected Sonic to answer how she was mean to do that.

“At least you two are getting along well” the hedgehog said nicely.

“You’re okay with Lucina and me dating?” Palutena asked to confirm.

“Yeah, I’m fine with it. As long as you two are happy, then I am as well” Sonic said calmly and coolly.

“Thank you so much, Sonic, for understanding” the goddess hugged the hedgehog tightly.

“No problem” he patted her back. “Come on, we got an award ceremony to attend to.”

“Gladly.”

Palutena, Meta Knight, and Sonic walked into the teleportation pod and were sent back to Big Battlefield, but there were podiums that contained the third, second, and first place places. The three fighters were conspicuous since the audience and Smashers at the mansion caught their presence. Along with Master Hand, his counterpart and erratic brother, Crazy Hand, was present with the medals, flowers, and the Super Smash Brothers trophy. The calm creator was uneasy about his brother since Crazy Hand constantly and uncontrollably moved his fingers. He could break any awards, but Master Hand trusted him for it.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the creator’s voice boomingly echoed the entire stereo of each house and building. “It’s time to present the top three fighters who trained with their blood, sweat, and tears. Not only was working hard to win the crown their goal, developing and earning friendships with other Super Smash fighters were more important. First, I shall present awards to all other Smashers. The first award, the KO Master that had the most knockouts out of anyone in this tournament, is given to Bowser.” The Bowser fans including his son and Koopalings cheered for him and chanted his nickname in the progress. “Our next award, the most damage dealt throughout the competition, is awarded to…Mega Man.” A second wave of cheers blasted everywhere. “The last award, the Fair Play, is where one Smasher who displayed true respect and sportsmanship lasting the duration of this tournament. And that fighter is…Yoshi.” A third flood of cheers came through. “Now that I have presented those awards, we shall now present our top three fighters for this Super Smash Competition. It was indeed a magnificent, maybe the best one of them all. In third place, given her accident a few weeks back, this fighter knew that one negative thing shouldn’t bring her spirit down. A mother figure to a certain angel, a caring deity who believes in purity, ladies and gentlemen, your third place Smasher is Palutena!”

The goddess walked to the podium for the third best Smasher. Fans were roaring positively and supported her for performing above her expectations. Crazy Hand and Master Hand held the ribbon wide enough to go through Palutena’s head and on to the back of her neck with the bronze medal on her chest. She thanked the two hands and waved at the audience for supporting her all the way. Lucina who was watching at the theater room applauded for her goddess and smiled throughout.

“In second place, a swordsman whose blade strikes faster than the speed of sound, a true, noble knight that honors his opponents no matter the circumstances, the former Super Smash Brothers champion, a man who everyone admires, I give you Meta Knight!” The audience clapped for Meta Knight instead of noisy screams from calm and psychotic fans because it was the way he preferred it. The Star Warrior stepped on his podium and was given the silver medal by Master Hand and Crazy Hand who put on his shoulders, similar actions to Palutena. He waved at his fans for a short moment and covered himself with his cape.

“And now, the moment you’ve all waited for” the creator of Smash began for a dramatic conclusion. “The winner of the fourth edition of Super Smash Brothers tournament goes to a fighter who is not a Nintendo character. He is a third-party Smasher, originating from the world of Sega, and in that world belongs to a beautiful, carefree environment of Mobius where everyone can be happy. He also first appeared in the third edition by popular demand but wasn’t a viable fighter. However, coming into this edition, he put out some performances earlier in the tournament that shocked some people and gave a shine of hope. Working all day and night just to improve, this fighter proved what he is made of. The world’s fastest Smasher ever participated in Super Smash and even the fastest thing alive is now your newest champion. He shall be known as the first one to win this tournament as a third-party, inspiring many other non-Nintendo fighters to achieve the dream. The champion of Super Smash Brothers is Sonic the Hedgehog!” Sonic stepped on the highest podium with both fists in the air triumphantly. Everyone roared a cheer that made people almost lose their hearing abilities. It was a historical moment since a third-party never accomplished achieving the title or even reached the finals. Master Hand and his brother held the ribbon wide for the new champion to fit through his head and on to his neck. The gold medal shone brightly like it was fresh, newly polished and cleaned award. After checking out his medal, Master Hand presented the hedgehog the trophy he deserved. Sonic received the award and bowed down to thank the creator for it, and he raised the trophy as high as he could to show the world that he had made it. “Thank you for an amazing tournament of Super Smash Brothers. We will see you next time on the newest competition for Smash Tour. More details will be disclosed later on. Hope to have much excitement for that tournament just like this one. See you in a few months!”

 At the common area, everyone celebrated a fantastic season of Super Smash Brothers with Sonic, Meta Knight, and Palutena as the special guests of honor. As the newest champion showed his trophy and medal to people, Lucina was with her goddess, hanging out at the party and relaxing as well. Luckily, Pit was focused on Sonic, so the swordswoman didn’t have to worry as much.

“Tonight is a memorable one” Palutena initiated the conversation with the bluenette.

“Today is most certainly a remarkable moment” Lucina agreed with a smile. “There is mister Sonic as the champion of Super Smash Brothers. Sir Meta Knight seems to be satisfied by his result despite losing his title. Finally, you, Lady Palutena had the best performance.”

“Aw, you’re too sweet” the goddess thanked the swordswoman for the compliment by touching her thigh.

“Um, yeah” the bluenette responded awkwardly by Palutena’s hand on her thigh. “You’re welcome.”

Then a pink floral dressed princess walked towards both women with something she wanted to say. “You two have a minute?” She asked nicely.

“We have some time to spare” Palutena replied politely while Lucina nodded.

“Excellent” Peach was excited to tell the two women about something she was planning. “Tomorrow night, us girls are going to have a sleepover party at yours truly.”

“Ooh, a sleepover party, that’ll be fun” the goddess appeared to like the idea.

“Yes!” Princess Toadstool was glad to have almost everyone who will be at her party except Lucina. “What about you, Lucina?”

The swordswoman thought about the sleepover party, considering that she never been to one at all. She was ambivalent towards it because it could go wrong like if someone got hurt or even a severe injury or a physical confrontation. Lucina was obviously overreacting by the situation, stalling time and making her more nervous than ever before. Her dating partner will attend, and she wanted to spend time with her but the thought of a sleepover party made her feel uneasy.

“Lucina, are you okay? You still want to go?” Peach repeated her offer differently.

“Yes, I am fine” Lucina responded calmly despite her nerves about Peach’s sleepover. “I will accept your invitation to a sleepover.”

“AH! Fantastic!” The pink princess shrieked in exuberance, scaring the swordswoman in the process. “All ladies will finally be at my party. Now it’s a real sleepover. I’ll see you all tomorrow at 7. Don’t eat anything before then and dress in your PJs. Toodles” she added before walking away, content with her day.

“Well, looks like you and I are going to a sleepover with every other female Smasher” Palutena said to Lucina.

“I don’t feel exactly exuberant or content about this” disagreed partially by the bluenette.

“How so?” The goddess asked inquisitively.

“I never been to a sleepover before, and I do not want anything physical altercation or injury to come about” the swordswoman reasoned to her goddess.

“That won’t happen. It’s just a time of social bonding as friends” refuted Palutena positively. “I mean, you and I could sleep together, if you get what I’m saying” she continued, smirking at her dating partner in order to show she was messing with her.

Lucina understood what she meant and blushed by it. She began imagining herself in bed with the woman of her dreams. To her, it would be the final sign that the two will have a long-term relationship and finally become Palutena’s girlfriend. “I understand your statement about developing bonds” she replied, acting to ignore the goddess’s words about sleeping with her.”

“Good” Palutena said. “Do you want something to drink?”

“Yes, please” Lucina replied.

“I’ll be right back then” the greenette walked towards the table with a variety of drinks to obtain.

_I’m actually attending princess Peach’s sleepover._ Lucina thought to herself. _Is Lady Palutena serious about sleeping in bed with me? Should I actually sleep with her tomorrow night? It is all so confusing and odd._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

From morning to sunset, the newest champion, Sonic, spent all day travelling parts of Smash City from urban to suburbs, which the population of each area ranging from hundreds to a half million. Those areas were clearly distinct from each other with the urban areas having markets, business buildings, apartments, schools, restaurants, and stores in each block, having a near endless variety of places to go to eat or socialize while the suburbs contained larger houses with more acres of land to possess but fewer buildings to visit. He gave speeches to every inch of every urban and suburban land, inspiring young children, adolescents, and even young adults to motivate themselves into believing in themselves and taking a chance to reach for the stars, as Sonic would always conclude in every speech.

After investing hours on his victory tour, Sonic arrived at the Smash mansion where he can finally place his medal and trophy back to his room and secure it professionally, so he can carry it back to his world to show it to his friends. While holding the trophy on his right hand, he stretched his body outwards after being stiff from a continuous parade. It appeared he didn’t have much of a meal break. He had his left hand over the doorknob and quickly twisted it in order to finally rest from standing for nearly ten hours. What he saw inside the common area was male Smashers who waited for the guest of honor to appear to celebrate one last time to an end of the formal Super Smash Brothers tournament.

“There’s the man of the hour!” Fox said loudly as he pointed both fingers with one being close to his chest and one being extended outwards.

All male fighters cheered and applauded for the blue hedgehog.

“Whoa, you guys,” Sonic spoke, flattered by that this party was dedicated to him. “You shouldn’t have. I mean you guys had a party for me yesterday.”

“This is different” the captain of Star Fox replied. “We combined the celebration of your status as a champion and the end of Smash season. Plus, a good time with just us guys!”

“This is just awesome” the hedgehog couldn’t help but grin because it was the kind of celebration he visualized. He chuckled a bit and choked up his tears but didn’t actually cry.

“Come on, hedgehog” said an impatient teammate of Fox’s who wanted to eat, drink, and play pool uncontrollably. “We can’t start this party without you calling it.”

“Really, I have the say to begin this festivity before we all actually do it?” Sonic asked to confirm.

“Duh,” Falco playfully responded.

“Yeah, let’s party!” Sonic said energetically.

Sounds of men cheering pervaded throughout the ground floor. Music from Sonic’s world blasted through the stereo with a tablet containing songs from a playlist about the hedgehog’s adventure against Chaos, Shadow the Hedgehog, Finalhazard, Metal Overlord, Dark Gaia, through Soleanna and outer space, stories of genies and knighthood, and riding with boards. Many Smashers enjoyed the sounds of the rock band except for a certain red plumber as he tried to disdain the music as much as he could but deep inside he actually liked it.

Falco remained participating in games of billiards, asserting his dominance and control of the game as he beaten the newcomers and discourteously taunted them for playing weak. His mission was to defeat every single fighter in the males-only party in pool before letting anyone else play for fun. The only person who he kept losing to against was his captain, Fox. It would usually be a close battle that ultimately was in favor for Fox. Maybe he was simply better. After five rounds of pool with the leader of Star Fox, the captain decided to perform as half as well in order to please his arrogant teammate. The bird celebrated proudly as he always desired, disregarding the fact that Fox let him win. After proving and convincing himself and his peers that he was the most competitive and best pool player in Smash, everyone else finally managed to enjoy a friendly game.

After hours of celebration, the energy of the party still continued on. At a table came across an intense five-way showdown of poker between Mario, Captain Falcon, Avatar, Falco and Fox who kept betting higher amounts of candy, which were substitutes for poker chips and real money.

“I will put in ten” Mario placed his bet on the jackpot warily.

“I’ll do the same” Fox matched his with the plumber’s.

“Me, too” Captain Falcon dispensed his amount.

“Ten for me” Avatar carefully organized his bet in a straight line and carefully exerted force until it was part of the pile of the winning pot.

“You guys are too weak. You guys don’t know anything compared to me” Falco superciliously said as he slammed his bet, which he covered so no one could see the quantity of the sugary treat he placed. “I raise you ten to make it twenty!”

Soon the other four were complaining.

“That’s too much” Mario initiated the complaint. “I don’t have enough to equal my bet to twenty.”

“So you forfeit?” The bird asked in a way that he knew the plumber was going to give in.

“I fold” the red plumber threw his cards face-down on the table carelessly.

Falco then scoped around the table and saw that no one else had enough tokens to sum up to twenty. “I see you all are going to fold.”

“Falcon Fold!” The F-Zero racer humorously said instead of his infamous Falcon Punch line as he slammed his cards face-down on the table.

“Seems to me that I cannot win with the improper amount of tokens I possess to remain in the game” the male tactician spoke, boring Falco in the process. He elegantly placed his cards in a way that both were adjacent to each other like a double door. “I concede my defeat; I fold.”

“Jeez, you sound so boring” Falco directly spoke towards Avatar who didn’t care what the bird thought of him. He grabbed the pile of candy, assuming he had won the match. “Looks like I only know how to play this game, so I’ll take the prize.”

“Whoa, whoa, there” another hand was on the pile as Falco turned to see his captain was still in the game. “How could you take the prize if I haven’t folded?”

“Pffh” he scoffed. “You are going to, am I right?”

“No,” Fox refused as he placed ten more on his bet to stay in the game. “I’m still playing. Here’s the other ten.”

“You’re stepping into the danger zone, my friend” Falco sat down and stared at his cards, knowing that he had the best chances of winning. “Want to make things interesting?”

“I’m listening.”

“We go all-in” the suggestion shocked the entire group on the table, interpreting it was a dramatic, intense battle of a card game. Falco pushed all of his candy on the jackpot. “Do you accept my offer? Or will you chicken out and lose all the delicious, sugary goodness that I will take?”

“Are you kidding?” Fox thought his teammate’s questions were silly and dumb. He shoved his candy on the pile, smirking since he believed he was going to win. “I’m going all-in.”

“Then reveal!” Mario shouted to conclude the climactic battle.

Falco flipped his cards and revealed a strong four-card result, a four-of-a-kind with all queens from each suit. “Four queens. You can’t beat that.”

The three other players who folded shifted their attention on Fox who had an expression that was difficult to understand his feeling right now.

“Well, you’re right” Fox spoke up. “I can’t beat four queens.”

The table crowd groaned in disappointment.

“Ha! I knew it” Falco cheered, prematurely celebrating by having his hands on the jackpot.

“Unless” the captain of Star Fox added, bringing more suspense on the table and changing hopes from the three losers. He held his cards up high in the air proudly and eventually slammed them onto the table, revealing his five cards. “I got a straight flush! I win!”

A seven, eight, nine, ten, and jack of spades were the five cards Fox had, shocking and upsetting his teammate consequentially.

“No fair! That’s some bullshit right there. You can’t possibly have those cards on your hand. It’s virtually impossible” argued Falco who was angry by his loss.

“There was a small chance and I took it” defended Fox, smirking again to displease the bird. “Besides, it’s just a game, not a full gambling game.”

“Whatever.” Falco replied carelessly.

The five men at the poker table laughed with each other like brothers. Mario took all of 52 cards and shuffled them again multiple times. Fox divided his winnings to everyone for another game of poker. Just when they were ready to play, a dark angel came in to hopefully join the group for a round of poker.

“You guys mind if I join in? I need some company” Dark Pit said surprisingly politely. No one expected him to be that friendly towards others due to his aggressive personality and being polar opposite of Pit.

“Uh, sure, I don’t see why not” Mario answered back nicely, acting as if he was the leader of the group. “You guys are cool with it?”

Fox, Captain Falcon, and Avatar didn’t mind the black angel sitting with them. Falco, on the other hand, was.

“You guys seriously want to be with a guy who steals another man’s woman?” He argued in a form of a question to oppose his friends’ opinions, knowing that Dark Pit and Robin got along a lot better than he and she did.

“Hey,” yelled Dark Pit, sounding much like how he was. “That’s not true. She and I are just getting to know each other as all. You, however, treat her like trash and show no respect for her.”

“Oh, dude” Falco chuckled, amused by the black angel’s defense that he interpreted as an exaggeration. “She’s just being nice to you because she feels sorry for you.”

“Nuh uh, you’re lying” Dark Pit repudiated with the bird’s reason. “Robin is not that kind of woman.”

“I think I know her _way_ more than you do.”

“Hey, I’m her brother” interrupted by the male tactician whose one eyebrow furrowed. “I know her the most out of anybody here.”

“Fine, I know her second-best” Falco reconstructed his previous statement. “Dark Pit, I’ve been on a date with her, so I technically win her heart.”

“If I recall, she specifically said one date only” Dark Pit corrected him. He was prepared for another argument that Falco brought so he could rebuttal him. “Did you ever hang out with her afterwards?”

“Like that matters” he denied. “Have you been on a date with her? I don’t think so.”

“At least I’ve been hanging out with her more than once” the black angel responded proudly.

“Sure because she feels sorry for you.”

“No she doesn’t! She’s a cool and nice person. Can’t you get that through your thick skull?!”

“Just you wait, she’ll break your heart…and your crotch” Falco didn’t care about disclosing about getting his manhood kicked by the female tactician. He was rather attracted and somewhat aroused by it because he claimed it was a step closer to their romantic relationship. “Just play poker, man. The more, the merrier.” He ceased the conversation and shifted to playing poker.

Dark Pit then joined in and was given an equal quantity of candy by each player before playing a round of poker. Soon, his mind began to wonder off about Robin, becoming absentminded that he bet erroneously and lost embarrassingly. He remembered the first time they hung out together after Robin’s remorseful date with Falco. The two smashed some targets with bombs for fun, which turned into a competitive showdown that ultimately the dark angel won. She congratulated him for playing so well and he reciprocated the same. The next activity they did was producing damage to the sandbag for ten seconds and then sending it extremely far by swinging a bat. Both competed individually and then cooperated together to send the sandbag even further. After wrecking the sandbag, the two went to Smash City to grab a bite to eat and returned to the mansion with both mentioning that it was a fun day. The second time he and Robin socialized together was more vivid on Dark Pit’s mind as he reminisced that day as one of the great days he spent with someone not from his world.

_At an open field behind the Smash mansion, Dark Pit and Robin were beginning to start their day with an interesting twist suggested by the female tactician. She had two identical spell books; with one of them legitimately belonging hers while the other she borrowed from her brother._

_“Here, I want you to try something” Robin handed her brother’s spell book to the dark angel, smiling warmly._

_“Um, thanks” Dark Pit took the book, becoming confused with what was going on. “Why am I supposed to do with this book?”_

_“You said you were interested in my spells, so I thought you should actually try it” the female tactician responded._

_“Whoa, really?” The black angel seemed surprised to see that Robin took his interest seriously. “I was only-I mean…I can’t believe I’m going to learn your spells.”_

_“Only the ones I use in Smash” the female mage corrected him._

_“Oh, even better” he humorously replied, making Robin giggle by his odd behavior._

_“Ok, calm down, angel” she said, placing her hands to signal him to relax. “It’s not easy to learn and perfect. It’s about concentration and control.”_

_“Sounds simple to me” arrogantly responded by Dark Pit._

_“That’s an understatement” she playfully said back. Robin turned to a page where it activated one of her side special moves. “Here, try out Arcfire.”_

_Dark Pit turned to the page on the exact same book Avatar owned. He examined the page to follow the instructions for it. “Do you really have to do that motion you always do when calling out Arcfire?”_

_“Yep, observe. Arcfire!” Robin positioned the book on her left hand while her right hand had nothing to hold above her head when a diminutive cast of fire appeared over her. She threw her arms forward, making the fire follow through the momentum and gradually increasing in size, and crossed her arms but were not locked on each other. The side special move contacted a twig, burning it slowly in the process. Both Dark Pit and Robin gazed at the warm flames as if it was a work of art._

_“Wow, that was amazing” complimented by the black angel._

_“Why thanks,” she humorously responded. Robin then waved her hands horizontally, signaling Pit’s doppelganger to attempt his move. “Now you try.”_

_Dark Pit suddenly became nervous to cast a ball of fire because he felt like both failing to fully summon it and maiming the female tactician. By his expression, Robin knew he was going to mess up due to his anxiety but still gave him a chance to do something new. “Arcfire” he said weakly as the book was above his head. The sphere of fire was distorted and wide, which travelled its way to the tip of his fingers. “Oh, shit!” He dropped the book, cancelling its spell, and shook his barely minimal burnt finger aggressively. A blow from his mouth soothed his burning pain._

_“See, I told it was difficult to learn” Robin said to prove her point. “Do you know what you did wrong?”_

_“No, and I don’t think I want to know. It’s too damn hard” Dark Pit replied, already yielding to learn Arcfire by himself._

_“Oh, come on, dude, there’s other spells you can learn like Nosferatu or Elwind or-“ Robin reasoned with the black angel before being interrupted by him._

_“No way, I’m going to hurt myself doing those spells” Dark Pit refuted. “And I’ll hurt you, too.”_

_“You won’t hurt me” she touched his shoulder and rubbed it softly._

_“Yeah, I will. I don’t to do this anymore” he closed his eyes, feeling pessimistic and stubborn._

_“Just try another spell and then we can head to Smash City” she tried to persuade him into accepting her offer. Robin bumped her book on the black angel’s shoulder to get him to perform one last spell. “Do it for me.”_

_“I guess so” Dark Pit gave in after letting a deep breath._

_“Yes” a downward and inward swing from Robin’s right arm revealed gladness. “You’re awesome.”_

_“Um, thanks” he replied awkwardly, nearly had his face redden from Robin’s compliment._

_The next spell Pittoo decided to do was Elwind because he speculated that it was the safest spell to perform. He was only going to be launched vertically upwards the whole time. What could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, Dark Pit executed the first swing well, but the second long vertical phase sent him in a diagonal trajectory, which consequently ended with him landing on his back. It arched upwards as a result from the pain he was experiencing. Instantly, Robin rushed by his side to inspect and examine his injury. Luckily it wasn’t anything exceedingly serious, but the female tactician searched for a healing spell in her book, flipping through pages back and forth hopefully to spot the right one. To her it felt like she lost time faster than usual due to the increase of her adrenaline and nerves. Putting effort to quickly heal the black angel was sort of an overreaction._

_Dark Pit’s back injury was healed and refreshed. He was astonished and pleased with spells Robin had in her book. He and the female tactician went to Smash City for clothes to buy or items to purchase as a souvenir when they go home. They found nothing that interested in them with the exception that Robin needed books to buy for her own entertainment. She entered into a bookstore of her choice and bought several novelties to enjoy during her past-time. During their walk around the city, they discussed about themselves such as where they came from, learning about personal interests, and the Smash tournament finals. They shared some similar things they liked such as being competitive and assertive while understanding what it’s like to have someone annoying and irritating in their lives. Some things that were different from them were how each was treated by people in the city: Robin was astoundingly given positive opinions whereas Dark Pit was a clear opposite due to him being a clone. The female tactician didn’t know what it feels like to be a clone, but she knew how he felt because she had a friend who was like him._

_On the way back to the mansion, Dark Pit and Robin shifted their topic to Pittoo’s relationship issues with Pit. He obviously didn’t like being around him or even associate with him, so Robin decided to fix it or at least make it better._

_“There’s no way I’m going to make buddy-buddy with my doppelganger” Dark Pit said stubbornly._

_“Come on,” Robin whined. She had that trait of hers to make things better with people she had positive relationships with. “You have to.”_

_“I’m not going to, Robin.”_

_“Explain then.”_

_He took a few deep breaths before revealing his reason. “I’m Pit’s darker version of himself.”_

_“Would it be like an alter ego?” Robin interrupted to ask a question._

_“Something along those lines” he somewhat agreed. “I think it’s better for it to be the opposite of Pit. Everything he likes, I dislike. Something he hates, I like. The only thing we both share is caring for Lady Palutena. Jeez, that sounds retarded for me. We are the definition of contrast and conflict. We never get along. Whenever Pit wants to help me pursue a relationship with someone, I tell him that I don’t need his help. He keeps on insisting that I should, and he never leaves me alone. Our opinions are so different that they can’t even be compromised and collaborated. It’s best for me to avoid him as much as possible, so he can understand that we are not compatible with each other.”_

_“So, you don’t want to try being friends with him just because you guys are polar opposites?” Robin asked, unconvinced with Pittoo’s justification._

_“Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with that.”_

_“That’s silly, dude. There is something wrong with that.”_

_“Oh, yeah, enlighten me.”_

_“Your behavior and personality don’t act as the way to reflect making friendships despite them being un-similar” Robin stopped the walk and turned to Dark Pit. “Earning trust and realizing why people care about you is as well. Pit cares about you; that’s why he asks you for help or spending quality time as bros. He knows about how you act towards him based on your personality, but he didn’t let that stop him from becoming friends with you. He knows this because he trusts you, that trust is what drives him to continue on to do things right.”_

_He took some time to muse over what Robin said. She provided a very good point, and he honestly couldn’t refute anything to win an argument over the female tactician. “Must you always be right?” He deadpanned._

_“My specialty” she responded humorously, bowing down to try to get the dark angel to laugh._

_“You’re so funny” Dark Pit complimented with a smile._

_“I know I am. Thanks for noticing.”_

_“You know, maybe you’re right” the black angel admitted. “I should give my doppelganger a chance.”_

_“That’s great, angel” she patted Pittoo’s shoulder. “Seeing you doing this reminds me of my friendship with Lucina.”_

_“That clone?” He suddenly asked._

_Just like that, Robin began to stiffen angrily as her eyes were glaring with a murderous, infuriating look that daunted Dark Pit. He knew he shouldn’t have said it. The female mage’s hands balled into fists, clenching with enough tightness to punch someone and knock their teeth out. “What the fuck did you just say?”_

_“W-wait, Robin” Dark Pit had his hands out to protect himself. “Calm down, I didn’t mean it.”_

_“You expect me to relax after I helped you to befriend your doppelganger who has all opposite traits you possess, reasoned you on why people calling you a clone is irrelevant, and twisting it towards my friend, Lucina?!” Robin’s question was intended to be rhetorical._

_“…”_

_“I can’t believe, after all I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me. Goodbye.” She walked by herself towards the mansion, leaving Dark Pit behind._

_“Robin, wait” Dark Pit ran towards her to apologize his mistake. He grabbed her arm after running at her for no more than five seconds._

_“Hey, let go of me” she tried to break free from his grasp. The dark angel’s grasp was stronger, so Robin’s attempt to escape was virtually futile._

_“No, hear me out,” Dark Pit held Robin’s hand tighter. The mage loosened up and listened. “I just need to say that I shouldn’t have said what I have said. I get angry whenever people call me a clone, so I lash out towards the wrong people, especially towards you, Robin. If it makes you feel any better, you can punch me in the face.” He put out his face closer to Robin, so she can swing her fist at his cheek._

_“I’m not going to punch you in the face” Robin said as Dark Pit released his grasp. “It’s just that people don’t understand what Lucina feels whenever she was called that horrific, dehumanizing term. They simply don’t care about her feelings; they see her as an emotionless person. They freaking hurt her. It’s so bad that she was even…never mind.”_

_“Never mind what?” Dark Pit asked inquisitively, tilting his head._

_“I don’t want to talk about it” she responded as the memories returned to her mind. The event was something the least she expect Lucina would’ve done, but she tried to let go of it. She couldn’t. “Anyways, I’m sorry for lashing out on you like that. I was provoked.”_

_“Say no more, I should be the one to apologize for making an inconsiderate comment to your friend” The dark angel refuted Robin. “I hope we can still hang out together.”_

_“Yeah, definitely” she happily agreed._

The music ceased playing, causing everyone to look at who turned off the tablet. It was Link who turned off the music as he signaled Mario and Fox to give a short speech. The plumber and space pilot walked towards the center of the common area to present themselves with a glass of a drink on their hands.

“What’s up guys at Smash? Isn’t this party awesome?” The entire men raised their glasses and cheered after hearing the questions Fox asked.

“We would like to give a shout out to Master Hand, even though he’s not here, for allowing us to use this place to party” another wave of cheers came after the red plumber credited the floating hand. “But we’re here to honor the man or hedgehog that went against all odds to win this fourth edition of Super Smash Brothers tournament. He’s also my rival since we compete in Olympics together. And I’ll tell you, he can kick my ass in running” a pool of laughter resulted from Mario’s joke. “Alright men, let’s give Sonic the recognition he deserves.”

Sonic walked up towards the two oldest veterans as every single male fighter wildly cheered for him, annoying anyone who wanted to get beauty rest. He had his right hand grip firmly on the trophy and his medal on his neck, shaking Mario and Fox’s hand professionally. The hedgehog stood on a chair to replicate a leader who was preparing to present a speech to his fellow comrades.

“Just so you know, Mario’s too slow” he started with a joke to get the crowd his attention. “I’ve known many guys here from the Brawl days, a good amount of people were veterans then. As for me, I was a newcomer, not knowing a single thing about Smash. You meet new people, become friends, or begin a rivalry between certain people. The tough part about me was that I wasn’t a strong fighter, so I was sort of shut out by people. It really brought me down hard like being trapped in a never ending nightmare. I couldn’t look at my friends the same way as they saw me fail to win a match after match. Although I was invited to return, I had doubts to accept the invitation until two people helped me pull through and use my negative experiences into a more positive and motivating mission, my best friend and brother, Tails, and my rival but friend, Mario.” Some guys were so touched by Sonic’s speech that they cried. Luigi was the first one to tear up because he felt like he can relate to him. Pit nearly cried while Ganondorf had a tear run down his rough, Gerudo skin. What a softie. “I never would’ve become who I am now if it weren’t for them, so let’s give a raise of glass to Mario…and my one and true friend, Miles Tails Prower. Cheers.” All men rose a glass and drank from their alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage. “And also, we should raise another glass for two weeks without any Smash before training for Smash Tour. Cheers.” A second round was fulfilled. The party remained alive until midnight.

A knock came on Lucina’s door as the swordswoman was dressed in her nightwear: blue pajama pants and nightshirt. She felt uncomfortable since she thought that there should an improved dress code for the sleepover. Then again, she realized how ridiculous that envisioned in her mind and dropped it. She hoped to spend a good time with the ladies of Smash tonight.

“Palutena” Lucina sounded surprised to see her dating partner show up in front of her room door. “I did not expect your arrival.”

Palutena was dressed a bit differently from the bluenette since she had all black on her with cotton fabric that felt majestic for being a deity. “I was just wondering if you’re ready to go.”

“Yes, I am prepared to depart to Princess Peach’s nightly get-together” the bluenette responded with a smile.

“That’s great, then let’s go now” the greenette spoke, grabbing Lucina’s hand gently.

“Wait a minute, you and I are going there together?” She received a nod from the goddess, which made Lucina freak out a bit.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, right?” Palutena asked, a bit concerned for her swordswoman.

“I fear if they speculate that you and I are dating” Lucina admitted. “What if they don’t accept our relationship?”

“It is fine, they won’t know because it’s a party, so even if they see us walking in together, they probably think we’re friends as long we don’t hold hands or what not.”

“You’re right” the swordswoman took a deep breath to alleviate her nerves. “I shouldn’t be anxious about the smallest things. We arrive at our destination and enjoy our time.”

“That’s the spirit, Lucy” Lucina grabbed her key before closing the door. “Let’s go, beautiful.”

Lucina’s face tinted a little redness on her cheeks, still allowing herself to let Palutena’s compliments make her blush. The two held hands on the way to the pink princess’s room at the fourth floor of the building with no one in sight of seeing them hold hands.

The goddess’s hand felt soft to Lucina’s perspective as she hold on to the greenette’s hand for days and still be amazed by its warmth and elegance. She felt a bit sad to not being able to hold her hand when Palutena knocked on the door. A few seconds have passed before it was opened by the hostess.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“Ah, Palutena and Lucina” Peach greeted the two women, wearing a pink robe with crown symbols and flowers sewn in a diagonal pattern. “Please, come in, you two are the last ones to arrive.”

Both women thanked the princess for being welcomed into her home and saw all other female Smashers: Zelda, Samus, Rosalina, Robin, Wii Fit Trainer, Jigglypuff, and four villagers were sitting at a large, rectangular table with empty alcohol glasses in front of them and great supplies of food to eat. The theme for dinner was Italian, sort of. There laid large separate bowls of spaghetti, pasta, and salad that were freshly made just minutes ago. The scent of delicate aroma flourished across the unbelievably enormous room belonging to the pink princess herself.

Peach’s room was one of the largest rooms than any other area Smashers normally lived in. Those rooms were similar to apartments or luxury hotel rooms yet princess Toadstool’s room was two or three times bigger in dimensional size. She spoke to Master Hand about increasing the size of her room due to being uncomfortable residing in such small spaces, proclaiming claustrophobia. To ensure the well-being and safety of Super Smash fighters, including veterans, Master Hand complied with the princess’s terms and had a group of carpenters to renovate her room. Or maybe he simply didn’t want to associate with the princess being loquacious towards him.

“Have a seat” Peach told Palutena and Lucina as they searched for seats. Then a “ding!” sound triggered the pink princess to realize that her next dish was fully cooked. “Oh, Mario’s famous pizza pie is ready! Be back in a flash!”

As Peach was warily taking out not one but two whole pizzas from the oven with her colorful oven mitts, Palutena and Lucina sat on the two available seats that were by coincidence next to each other. The bluenette took the right side, which her friend Robin was aside from her.

“Hey, Lucy,” Robin greeted her friend with a smile. “Glad you could make it.”

“Hello, Robin” Lucina said back, tidying her nightwear. “I should say the same to you.”

“You hungry?” The female tactician asked as she placed her hand on her stomach, showing that she was starving.

“You would not believe how famished I am” the bluenette responded a bit awkwardly from attempting to be humrous. “I had not consumed any sustenance for nearly seven hours because Princess Peach advised me to not take in nutrition before this nightly get-together.”

“So what, you were trying to lose weight?” Robin joked.

“Now is not the time to formulate humorous witticisms” Lucina replied passive-aggressively.

“Why is that?” The mage asked, refusing to allow the swordswoman to respond once she saw the greenette. As a result, she smirked. “Oh, I see, so you can have a chance to sleep with Palutena.”

“Th-that’s not my intention” denied the bluenette, blushing partially after analyzing Robin’s statement. “I do not want to sleep with her in _that_ sort of sense” she whispered.

“Suit yourself” Robin calmly responded, respecting her friend’s choice. “Let’s just have a blast.”

Lucina nodded, still thinking about the possibilities if she and Palutena were to sleep on the same bed together. She didn’t know why she began visualizing those images. There was an internal conflict against herself as one imaginary being told her to sleep with her and enjoy the best night while the other told her not to in order to prevent any relationship problems. As soon as she drifted off, Peach returned to the table with two large plates of sizzling, hot pizza.

“Alright then” the hostess said as she placed both round plates equally distant from each other so the ladies can get a fair share. “Now that Mario’s delicious dish is ready to be eaten, let’s dig in.”

Nearly every hand was touching the crusts of the most recently cooked pizzas. Because there were only sixteen slices, each female Smasher only got one while the remaining three were left standing on their respective plates, bound to become cold and unsatisfying if not consumed within a time limit. The size of one slice, though, was unquestionably big as it was shaped like a wide triangle. Afterwards, all plates from each lady were filled with portions of each main course. One bite from a thin noodle, a thick noodle, a triangular shaped bread filled with tomato sauce and cheese, or a lettuce received many, similar responses.

“Peach,” a princess with elf-like ears spoke up, making a pleased moan from biting a well-made pizza. “You’ve outdone yourself again this time.”

“Why thank you, Zelda” responded the pink princess, flattered by the Hylian princess’s opinion. “I always had a knack for cooking, besides Mario showing me his family recipe to make it.”

“Mario has a family recipe?” Zelda nearly choked on her food, trying not to laugh from Peach’s claim about a red plumber who had a list of ingredients to make his famous pizza pie from generations. “I’m sorry, but that’s just too funny.” She let out a snicker.

“I know, I know” Peach agreed. “His family runs a plumbing business yet they are also quite the chefs.”

“Come on, we’re not going to talk about Mario’s plumbing and cooking skills today, right?” Robin spoke up, uninterested in the qualities of princess Toadstool’s boyfriend.

“Then what do you want to talk about?” Zelda asked before using her fork to consume her pasta.

“Oh, shoot!” Peach yelped, scaring a few females in the process, including Lucina.

“For goodness sake, Peach” shouted the bounty hunter who was already becoming frustrated by the squeals the pink princess made since the _Melee_ days. “Lower your tone whenever you scream. It’s getting on my nerves.”

“Oh, sorry, Sammy” she responded playfully. “Won’t happen again.”

“You better be telling the truth.”

“Anyways, we forgot the wine” Peach sheepishly slapped her forehead for messing up something like that. She grabbed a bottle of red wine and twisted it, easily opening the cap. A short but noticeable vapor rose from the aforementioned disclosed bottle. The aroma of grapes pounded on Peach’s sense of smell, practically tasting the alcoholic beverage already. “A toast to officially celebrate a real all-women sleepover” she poured some wine on her glass and passed it on to each female Smasher, so they can get something to drink. “Cheers” Peach raised her glass.

Everyone else followed.

Lucina took the tiniest sip, disliking the taste of alcohol since she rarely drinks. Everyone else seemed to enjoy the flavor of the wine.

“So, Robin” Peach began after taking a sip of her beverage. “Are you interested in any men in Smash?”

“Wow, what a way to start off this party” the female tactician responded sarcastically. “So far, not really.”

“What about Falco?” Zelda added.

“Hell, no” Robin cringed at the Hylian’s question. “I am so not into him. The guy’s arrogant, cocky, and disrespectful, so there’s no reason for me to be romantically interested in him.”

“But I thought you two were good together” Peach whined.

“As if” Robin scoffed, taking an aggressive bite of her pizza. “I’m better off being single than dating him. New topic, please?” The mage sipped her drink quickly despite not spilling on her shirt.

“We can discuss about the upcoming Smash Tour competition” Lucina suggested, hoping she wouldn’t get cackled at.

Unfortunately, some women had burst out laughing from the swordswoman’s choice of topic. Lucina felt irritated by their response but took a deep breath in order to prevent an unnecessary outburst of resentment.

“I’m so sorry, Lucina” Peach apologized sincerely, which Lucina read her facial expression and tone that revealed honesty. “Why would we talk about something that isn’t going to happen in months? If anything, it’s better to talk about it at least weeks before it happens.”

“Girls” said a goddess who defended Lucina by having both hands resting on the bluenette’s shoulder. “Give Lucina a break. It’s her choice, so at least respect it.”

A grin crawled at out of Lucina’s lips, content to see her dating partner stand up to her like that. It made Palutena seem more attractive than before, making the swordswoman stare at the goddess romantically. Luckily, no one saw it.

“I see you have your point” the pink princess agreed with the greenette. “Okay, Lucina go ahead and start with what you want to say.”

“Thank you, Princess Peach for giving me permission to speak and Lady Palutena for making me feel better” Lucina thanked the two women. Shortly she realized she just addressed to her goddess as _Lady_ Palutena. She immediately pondered if the women will speculate that she and the goddess were dating and if they weren’t going to accept the relationship. Overreaction returned to her conscious with a stronger force, distracting her from discussing about the upcoming tournament. Soon she nearly forgot what to say about the topic she suggested.

“Lucina” Palutena tapped the bluenette’s shoulder.

“Sorry, I had an unrelated thought that spontaneously erupted in my conscious” the excuse sounded ridiculous since it was at the wrong place and time.

“It’s okay, take a breather and start your topic” the greenette spoke back near Lucina’s ear softly and nicely, sending a minimal tingling sensation on her spine.

Lucina took one more breather before discussing what she wanted to talk about. “The Smash Tour seems to appear to have a different format compared to the recently finished tournament.”

“I do say so” Samus agreed. “From a source, I heard that this Smash Tour isn’t the kind of format that the Miis use to have fun.”

“I mean, who would want to play that board game with us as the game pieces?” Robin joked, receiving giggles from all females.

“Very humorous” the bounty hunter sarcastically replied to Robin’s joke.

“At least you chuckled” defended the female tactician.

Samus said nothing back to argue with Robin. She despised having to lose an argument, or in this case, having nothing to say when someone got the last word. The bounty hunter just left with an indistinguishable cold stare at the mage.

“The better question is who we think is going to win that?” Wii Fit Trainer added after not speaking for a while.

“That’s easy for me” declared Peach whose facial expression displayed that WFT’s question was ridiculous to ask because the pink princess knew who was going to win. “Mario is going to kick the tournament’s ass so easily that they should just award him the win.”

“Already predicting the winner I see” the bounty hunter responded, smirking due to Peach’s biased answer.

“I wasn’t done!” She sassed back playfully.

“How are you not done?” Samus was confused and kept a serious expression. “Are there more people you want to root for?”

“Yes,” she answered. “Luigi is pretty good, too. I think he could defeat his brother to prove that he’s no longer a shadow under his brother. Oh, even Ike can have a chance of winning.”

“Ridiculous” was all Samus could say.

“What makes you certain that the Radiant hero can emerge victorious at Smash Tour?” Lucina asked inquisitively and was partially surprised to hear that the pink princess would root for him.

“He’s grown muscles, fights for his friends and can penetrate anything with his big sword, I mean _anything_ ” Peach was aroused by the thought of her response and visualized it in her mind. Such a dirty woman.

Every other female except the swordswoman had giggled by Peach’s response. Lucina was, at first, bewildered by her friends and dating partner’s small laughter because she knew that Ike’s Ragnell was a powerful sword that damage many things and break stuff. Soon she realized that the pink damsel’s latter statement was a sex joke, making her respond with a nervous smile and laughter and maintained it in order to not isolate her from the group.

“Anyways,” she continued. “Wii Fit, who do you think will win Smash Tour?”

“It’s obvious that Diddy Kong will win it” argued the trainer. “He’s clearly has the best fighting skills out of anyone. His record is outstanding, almost better than Meta Knight in Brawl, so it’s clear that the chimp will win.”

“He’s adorable, I’ll admit” Peach conceded.

“There’s no way that little twerp will win the tournament” repudiated the bounty hunter.

“Exactly,” agreed the female tactician. “Do you really want an arrogant piece of shit to win Smash Tour?”

“How is he arrogant?” The exercising coach asked interestingly. She didn’t seem to care if she was being argued back, especially with the topic of Smashers.

“He brags about it. Whenever there’s no scheduled matches, he puts himself at top priority in routines like one time when I was in line to buy a book, Diddy Kong cuts in front of me, saying ‘Top tiers first.’” Robin paused to refrain from going into an outburst of resentment towards the chimp. She clenched her fists and closed her eyes before opening them. “Another time before we were teleported to a match, he says ‘Better give up right now before losing to the King of Smash.’ I absolutely despise that guy as much as Falco and I just want to punch the bastard in the face. That’s way I was happy when karma got him in the tail when Bowser defeated and embarrassed him by pretending to be a football player.”

“Wow” the female training coach reacted amusingly by Robin’s reason. “I can understand why you hate cocky and arrogant people.”

“It’s pretty clear” she agreed politely.

“So who do you think will win, Robin?” Palutena asked first.

“Either Bowwow or Sonic” she responded before giving her justification. “Bowser’s strong and agile despite being a heavy fighter, making him viable in matches. The finals, for instance, he had to most knockouts while dodging many attacks so well. Sonic, on the other hand, is more of speed guy than a strength guy. His power though is much better for a KO, but his speed gets you frustrated. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sonic does win Smash Tour.”

“Good points” approved the goddess. “It’ll be nice if I won that tournament or Pit or Pittoo.”

“That would be cool” Robin joined her. “Dark Pit can have a chance. I see it.”

“Why not Pit, Robin?” Zelda interrupted to question the female mage. “You think he has no chance.”

“I never said that” denied Robin, hiding her embarrassment for mentioning the black angel only. “Pit is a veteran, so he does have an advantage yet this tournament is different compared to the traditional one. His chances are as equal to his doppelganger.”

“That’s true” Peach nodded as she refilled her glass with more wine. “Sammy?”

“I want to win that tournament if it’s the last thing I’ll do” she responded mechanically as if she was already knew her answer.

“Why am I not surprised to hear that?” The pink damsel joked, which Samus fake smiled in response. “Hey, villagers, what about all of you?”

“We want out leader, Villager, to win” said the rose colored female.

“Sounds fair” Peach quickly replied. “Jigglypuff?”

“Pikachu is a clear choice” the puffball replied in Pokémon jargon, which everyone understood luckily. “He’s the first one to win a tournament undefeated and can have an even match up against Meta Knight in Brawl. He’s much stronger now, so that’s that. Pokémon rule!”

“Pikachu is an adorable creature” admitted the bounty hunter while maintaining a straight face. She remembered rescuing him from a room where he was forced to give out electricity to the Halberd and trapped in a confined tube. “He’s also a formidable opponent. His small appearance makes it harder for you to catch him.”

“Definitely” the Hylian princess agreed. She then wanted to talk about her opinion in who would win the Smash Tour. “I think Link has the best chance because his Master Sword has gained more strength. He’s also the only oldest veteran who is a swordsman. He may even be faster than before, making him more agile than ever.”

“You always say Link will win, but he just couldn’t” Samus disagreed.

“I don’t care” Zelda said, determined that her swordsman will win. “I believe in him, no matter what.”

“That’s romantic” Peach playfully said, making the Hylian blush. “Zelda, you should marry the guy.”

“Oh, I wish” she whined, holding her own hands in a way to pray to the gods.

“Don’t just stand around, you should do it whenever” the pink damsel supported her elf friend by softly touching her shoulder.

“I know. I’m nervous about what’s going to happen between us.”

“Don’t worry; I won’t rush you. Let time do the work for you” Peach said before shifting her eyes to the bluenette. “Lucina, you haven’t given your opinion on who will win Smash Tour. Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Princess Peach” responded Lucina, clearing her throat to speak up distinctly. “It would be nice if I won it, just like some of you declared. If I do not emerge as the champion, then the Hero-King will achieve the title.”

“Marth is such a handsome man” Peach playfully said to mess with Lucina.

“I beg your pardon?” She asked in confusion.

“Oh, nothing” the pink princess lied. “Let’s finish eating, and then the real fun awaits us.”

For the next solid thirty minutes the women ate the majority of the dishes served on the table while the topic consistently was related to the guys’ party at the common area. They teased on the poor choice of venue that the veterans selected to honor Sonic for his new status as a champion. Female Smashers playfully suggested that the male fighters should’ve have celebrated at the fourth floor, just like them since the higher the floor, the better the atmosphere for a party. Another joke they added was how a third party was able to win the Nintendo-affiliated tournament. Lucina seriously wanted to refute the women’s points, but eventually realized that it was all pretend.

Once Peach got the plates off the table while keeping the wine on the table, the women laid their backs on the chairs after consuming so much sustenance beyond what they ate. Some rubbed their stomachs to relieve some pain from the excessive consumption of Italian food. Palutena, on the other hand, felt nothing whenever she consumed so much food and playfully taunted other ladies for having little stomachs. They were mortals and had limits to what they do, but gods and goddesses possessed no limits. No one even talked back to her for making fun of them mostly because they lacked care.  

“Alright, ladies” Peach said once she placed the first empty wine bottle at the center of the rectangular table. “Let’s play a game. What kind of game you ask? I’m glad that all of you wondered that because this game will be a combination of entertainment and embarrassment.”

“Yes, you guessed right” Robin sarcastically responded. “So, how does this game work?”

“It’s simple” the pink damsel began, giving nonverbal gestures to present visual aid. “I spin the bottle and let it go until the tip points at someone. Whoever that person is, I can either make them do something or ask them about a truth/secret. Then that person who performs the act or says the truth spins the bottle and so on.”

“Why are we playing truth or dare?” Samus asked, uninterested in the game. “It’s childish.”

“But Sammy, this is different” defended Peach. “You don’t get to choose truth nor dare, you get asked by someone.”

“Very well” the bounty hunter gave in without even attempting to argue with the hostess. “Just play.”

“Oh, goody” Peach spun the wine bottle, rotating clockwise and gradually slowing down until it pointed at WFT. “Okay, Wii Fit Trainer…you’re a healthy person with the strictest diet anyone has seen. Answer me this, have you ever cheated out on your diet?”

The yoga coach took a deep breath, implying that she _had_ cheated out on her strict diet and was not very proud of it. Why wouldn’t she be? “It was after the match against…oh, who were they?” She pressed her index finger against the side of her forehead, trying to remember who her opponents were on that remorseful day. “Oh, I remember, it was Robin and Lucina. They were against me and Mega Man. After we won, Mega Man wanted to treat me with an unhealthy meal to celebrate it. I wanted to say no but I didn’t want to make him feel bad, so I accepted it. It was the worst day of my life. The greasy goodness on that burger and the salt on the fries they put were so delicious that I hated it. Soon I exercised excessively just to burn them off.”

“Such dedication” Robin amused herself with a joke, also getting a couple of giggles from her friends as well.

“Very true” Wii Fit Trainer replied to playfully agree with her. “I think when Mega Man and I fought you girls, you two hated each other.”

Soon other ladies who didn’t know about Robin and Lucina were surprised and intrigued to learn more.

“Oh, tell us what happened? Why were you two friends when you hated each other?” Zelda initiated the questions that almost everyone else had in their minds.

“I’ll say it when either the bottle points at me or Lucina” the female tactician replied, refusing to disclose the information by abiding to the rules, somewhat.

“Fine” the white-skinned woman spun the bottle and stopped it with her own hands. It pointed at Robin. “Tell us now.”

“I’ll tell you then” she replied nonchalantly. “Back in Ylisse, Lucina and I, mostly me hated each other. Actually, scratch that,” she waved her hands to replicate erasing something on a chalkboard. “Lucina didn’t really hate me; she wanted to be friends with me, but I despised her so much that I refused to talk to her.”

“Damn Robin” Peach reacted surprisingly. “Is it because Lucina dated your brother?”

“Oh, pffh” she scoffed. “No, that’s not the reason.”

“Then why?”

“I viewed her as a person who cared too much about her family, placed other’s opinions ahead of hers, and was careless towards people who weren’t her family” reasoned by Robin. “Then, when Lucina protected me from Mega Man’s attack and took the hit, I was so shocked to see her give up her own stock just to keep me in the game. A new light shone on my perspective to Lucina, questioning if she’ll ever forgive me for hating her. Luckily, because dating my brother gave her some care towards me, she forgives me for it and I asked her to hang out with me in order to fully exonerate our differences. And I’m glad that happened.” She hugged her swordswoman, nearly tearing up since that story always got her emotionally. Eventually, she let go and continued on with the game.

“What a story” the princess Toadstool sniffed, nearly fake cried from the story of the friendship between Robin and Lucina. “It would’ve been awkward if we had this party if that event didn’t happen.”

“Obviously” the female mage replied, knowing that Peach’s statement was true.

“It would indeed be peculiar between us if that act had not occurred” Lucina agreed with the two women.

“Exactly, now it’s my turn” Robin spun her bottle that pointed at Zelda. “Finally, now I’ve wanted to ask this. Zelda, from the Brawl days, what was the one thing you, Peach, and Samus did so that no one knew about it including Mario and Link?”

The Hylian became nervous since Robin was suspicious and on to them about what the three women did together that no one would know. She had no clue where the tactician found out about it. Robin was a smart person, so she probably figured it out or something. Peach, in honesty, didn’t really care because one, she liked it, and two, was proud that it happened. Samus, however, had this desire to maim the mage for plotting to embarrass her reputation. The bounty hunter was considered attractive by many male Smashers and fierce by everyone else. They believed only a man who was like her earned and deserved the right to be with her. Samus was not particularly happy with what people assumed about the perfect man for her; based on her observations, she thought male Smashers who looked at her either have a crush on her or have sexual fantasies about her were perverts and shameful. When the activity that she, the pink damsel, and the Hylian princess had done was about to be revealed, she felt like her reputation will be shot down and washed away, becoming someone else that for sure will be teased and possibly disliked for.

“We were drunk” Zelda strangely began as if she was confessing a crime. “All three of us, Peach suggested that we do something naughty together. I knew what she was talking about, so I consented. Samus was so out of it that she wasn’t aware of what was going on, so she agreed as well.”

“Cut to the point” Robin interrupted.

“Long story short, we did a threesome” the Hylian couldn’t help but blush by the mere thought of the three oldest female veterans having sex with each other.

The newcomers were not that surprised to see Peach and Zelda do it but were astonished that Samus did it with them.

“Samus” Robin smirked, preparing to jokingly tease her. “You are the opposite of a princess or girly girl, a role figure to tough females who wanted to be like you. To see you hammered and have sex with these two women is just not like you.”

“Shut up” Samus reacted harshly, oblivious to the fact that the female tactician was kidding. “It was just a one-time thing.”

“Oh, it’s not a _three_ -time thing” she had no idea if her pun made sense.

“You are fucking going down” the bounty hunter said slowly, having been humiliated enough to plot her revenge against the tactician.

“I was only messing around” defended Robin. “You should calm down.”

“I don’t care” she hissed. “Zelda, point the bottle at me. Tell me or dare me to do anything, so I can take this bitch down hard.”

“I’m not going to comment anymore” responded the tactician who had seen enough of Samus taking things seriously.

Samus was asked by the Hylian if the bounty hunter had feelings for an ex-Smasher Snake; she replied a quick ‘no’ and stopped the rotating bottle at Robin. Her eyes became partially wicked and enraged with resentment and indignation. She knew the one torture that would make things, in her perspective, even.

“Go ahead,” Robin said, feeling a little guilty for hurting Samus so much. “I’ll say an embarrassing truth or do a humiliating dare to please you.”

“Good,” the bounty hunter calmly responded. “Peach, call Wario, because Robin here is going to be engulfed in that fat man’s fart, after eating garlic and the habanero pepper.”

Gasps filled the room as they knew that that meant living in gassy hell. It appeared that Robin was the only person who had no idea how terrifying it would get since it wasn’t even funny.

“Robin,” Lucina said with concern, touching her friend’s hand. “Don’t do this, you have no idea how repulsive and grossing it is.”

“Pffh, it can’t _that_ horrifying” replied the unafraid tactician.

“You’re going to regret that” Samus smirked evilly as she gestured the hostess to dial Wario’s number.

During the poker match between Mario, Fox, Falco, Captain Falcon, and Avatar, a rival and childhood friend of the red plumber received a call from Peach, believing that she had finally confessed her love for him. Quickly, he answered the call and responded, “Finally, you love me now instead of that red, big-nosed loser?”

“What?!” The pink princess replied in disbelief. “Hell, no! That’s not why I was calling you.”

“Then there’s no reason to call me then. Good day” he almost hung up the phone upsettingly when he was interrupted.

“Wait! Wario, I have a proposition for you” she luckily was still in the conversation with the motorcycle-owned man.

“I’m listening” he placed the phone back on his ear suspiciously.

“Did you eat garlic _and_ habaneros today?”

“Duh,” he thought that answer was stupid to ask. Wario then felt his stomach rumble and travel down his bowels. It was about time to blow out his fuse. “Actually, I need to fart so badly now.”

“Don’t, rush to my room because someone is going to smell your fart.”

“Really?!” He sounded surprised and content to hear that. “I’ll be there…by elevator.”

“Excellent.”

“Who’s the sad sap that will enjoy my gas?” Wario asked deadpanned while stretching his bottom to blow out the most toxic and inescapable gas.

“Robin” Peach replied swiftly.

“All the other ladies have gas masks?”

“You’re doing this outside” she pulled and pushed the man outside towards the balcony. “You are not farting inside of my room.”

“Robin, get in there and suffer your consequences. Your comeuppance will be served under justice” Samus said in way that she wanted the female tactician to agonize the painful feeling the bounty hunter felt. 

“Seriously, how bad can it be?” Robin asked, still unconvinced that Wario’s fart was deadly.

Wario and Robin were outside. The man bent forward, showing his large glutes in front of the tactician. She cringed at the sight of his butt but still thought every woman in the party were overreacting or exaggerated excessively. An unsettling rumbling sound shook Wario’s entire body, encompassing his butt, which caused Robin to widen her eyes and prepare for a gassy storm.

A powerful blast of brownish air came out of his butthole and through his default clothing for Smash. With the exception of Samus, female Smashers felt horrified for Robin to go through that. The bounty hunter was enjoying every moment Robin was suffering in as she smirked brightly, not caring if anyone called her heartless or sadistic. The female mage at first grasped her neck in a way that she was choking and gasping for air. Then the coughing noises came, becoming retching progressively to a point where she could vomit on Peach’s balcony. Next a horribly mistaken deep sniff causing Robin to cover her mouth in disgust occurred, receiving “oohhs” and worried expressions. After fifteen seconds of hot and nauseating torture, Peach swiftly opened the door for both Wario and Robin to come in and closed it so none of the man’s gas can travel through other women’s noses.

“So spicy” he laughed at his own words. Wario then had his palm out, waiting for the pink damsel to reward him something. “Where’s my fair share?”

“Ugh” she reached into her purse and grabbed a decent amount of money. Peach slammed it on his hands, which he gave no care into. “Take it and go.”

“Wha ha ha ha!” Wario laughed and taunted as he walked out of the door.

Then they shifted their eyes towards Robin who looked severely sick. The motion she was making with her head resembled when someone was about to vomit.

Oh, no.

“Fu-,” was all Robin said before shutting her mouth and running towards the bathroom.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Zelda asked in major concern.

A vociferous sound of the female tactician vomiting basically answered her question. The splats from the vomit she threw up caused unsettling nerves from other women’s stomachs, making them feel nauseated as well and may be even vomit consequentially. Soon more sounds of puking from Robin concerned everyone so much that she may even go to the hospital.

“I feel so bad for her” Palutena broke the silence.

“If she didn’t embarrass me like that, this would all have been avoided” Samus commented, receiving disappointing looks from others including Peach and Zelda.

The door opened after resonances of flushing hummed through the dining room. Robin came out of the restroom, looking exhausted with her eyes closed softly and arms slouching lazily. The women moved to the sofas since the tactician sat on one of them, lying on her back. She formed no words, only groans from the aftermath of vomiting.

“Robin, do you want something to eat?” Lucina asked to aid her friend in need.

“Something sweet to eat, Lucy, dear” the mage replied softly.

“Understood,” the swordswoman rushed towards the kitchen to find a case of a variety of fruits. She opened them and brought them to her friend. Lucina then fed her since Robin had no strength to eat it herself initially.

Five minutes had passed by and the tactician rose up from the furniture and felt much better.

“She’s up. Sammy” Peach said to the bounty hunter upsettingly. “Go apologize to her for making her go through that torture.

“Ugh, fine” she disappointingly replied. Samus stared at Robin’s eyes in order to make sure she was sincere about her apology. “I’m sorry for forcing you to suffer through Wario’s farts.”

“It’s all good, girl because” she sounded surprisingly considerate since she underestimated the overweight man’s noxious fumes. “You are…awesome with coming up with those kind of dares. Give me a high five” she raised her hand towards the bounty hunter who was baffled by her reaction.

“You’re not mad?” Samus asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Pffh, no” Robin thought that question was silly to ask. “That was one hell of a dare. I didn’t you have it in you.”

“Um, thank?”

“Don’t leave me hanging, Sammy.”

Just like that, Samus clapped Robin’s hand, feeling better about not provoking the mage’s anger.

“So, what’s next?” The female tactician asked.

“I was hoping we can play some of Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Super Mario Bros.” Peach responded.

“Does it have to be our world-based games to play with?” Rosalina finally spoke, just making sure if that was Peach’s intention.

“Besides, don’t two of those games ruin friendships?” Zelda pointed out, fearing that the speculation could happen to them.

“That’s the guys’ problem” denied the pink princess who inserted the most recent Mario Kart game on the console. “We play for fun.”

Somehow and someway, Peach knew that playing those games exacerbate or terminate her friendships with the veterans and the newcomers. As it turns out, there weren’t arguments against each other, attacking someone for no reason, or becoming a sore loser when playing video games. Instead, the women simply laughed and enjoyed the shocks, upsets, and “tables have turned” moments. They good-humoredly joshed the male Smashers for playing games so competitively and get angry with their friends and destroy the bonds they shared over playing video games. During those hours, everyone obtained an equal amount of opportunity to play the three games the hostess suggested and had a good experience with it.

Three hours past midnight, all of the events planned by Peach were all done. It was time to rest for the night and enjoy the two weeks without spending time participating in friendly, scheduled matches. In those fourteen days, it was going to be a vacation that all Smashers wished could last longer, but things have to end inevitably.

“Well, time for bed gals” Peach stretched her arms outwards and yawned simultaneously.

“Not to be rude, Princess Peach” Lucina interrupted politely. “Where are the beds you will provide for us?”

“That’s easy,” the pink damsel pointed at three other doors from different locations in her place. “Those rooms have bedrooms with bathrooms as well.”

“How could you have so many beds?” Wii Fit Trainer asked, pondering if Peach had wasted so much space and money for her own pointless needs.

“It’s complicated” she admitted. “There are days where sleeping one bed is just boring, so having multiple beds to sleep on different days makes it…less tedious.”

“I don’t understand that logic” the bluenette commented, flabbergasted by what she just heard.

“Neither do I” Peach surely agreed with Lucina. “Anyways, four people have to sleep on the couches while the women who will sleep on the beds pair up with someone. Zelda,” she grabbed the Hylian’s arm. “You’re sleeping with me, no inappropriate messages here.”

“Us villagers will voluntarily sleep on the couches, your majesty” the pink villager spoke up.

“Great, I’ll get the pillows and blankets…and sleeping bags for circumstances” the Toadstool princess awkwardly said on her latter statement.

Lucina, trying to avoid sleeping with Palutena to prevent awkwardness, tried to ask Robin to share a bed with her. Unfortunately, the tactician went into a room with Samus. The bluenette shifted to Wii Fit Trainer or Jigglypuff to offer the same thing she intended on Robin, but both of them were going to pair up on a bed, leaving her with Palutena.

“Looks like you and I are going to sleep together” the greenette spoke with a smile.

“We sure are” the swordswoman responded, rubbing her neck in shyness.

“Come on, let’s go” Palutena grabbed her swordswoman’s arm and entered into the third unoccupied bedroom.

Their room contained pink colored walls with the same color on the blankets. Peach really did like that color, but nevertheless, Lucina became nervous about what was going to happen between she and Palutena since they were going to literally sleep together. Hopefully, nothing that would cause a strain the relationship will ruin it.

“Goodnight, Lucy” Palutena said facing the away from the bluenette, knowing how she felt about the situation.

“Sleep well, Palutena” Lucina responded quietly and closed her eyes to fall asleep.

For nearly ten minutes, she couldn’t fall into deep slumber while the goddess did within seconds. There’s something about goddesses that grew curiosity on the swordswoman. Soon, Lucina had more trouble sleeping when Palutena turned over, still in her REM sleep, and wrapped her arms under the bluenette’s breasts, making Lucina blush like a tomato. She at first felt terrified but soon found it comforting and warm. A smile crept up on her face and she finally fell to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Morning rose up shining beautifully through the curtains of Peach’s bedrooms. The bright light shone in the eyes of a swordswoman who slept on her side the entire night. She slowly opened her eyes viewing the morning blue sky and yawned as a state of waking up. Lucina couldn’t move around as much as she anticipated, believing either she had muscle fatigue or was so hungover that she didn’t want to make movements. She didn’t drink as much, barely finishing the first glass due to the disliking of the taste. What was holding her back? Soon the bluenette saw arms that weren’t hers covering just beneath her chest, making her heart pump more blood than usual. She then remembered that Palutena had wrapped them meticulously in the early dark morning.

Lucina wanted to break free in order to wash up in the bathroom, but it was pointless as the goddess yawned and released her grasp.

“Mmm, good morning, Lucina” Palutena spoke up, stretching her arms outwards after sleeping very well and smiling to see her swordswoman.

“Good morning, Lady Palutena” Lucina turned and faced her dating partner for the first time in bed. “Um… did you sleep well?”

“I did sleep well, thank you for asking” she sat up with her back on the soft headboard. “Did you sleep well?”

“I’m not certain” were the words formed by the bluenette’s mouth.

“How so?” The goddess seemed confused with what she heard.

“It’s not important to discuss” Lucina denied by waving her right hand, not to mention how her crush wrapped her arms just below her breasts.

“Are you sure?” The goddess furrowed her, one eyebrow, disbelieving the swordswoman’s claim. “You look like you were freaked out about something, maybe a possible nightmare that you had?”

“I did not have any horrific dreams last night; it was something else that happened… between us” the bluenette tried to give hints if the greenette recognized about her one act she did on Lucina, but it did not turn out how she hoped.

“Do tell me what happened between us last night because I can’t remember something weird happening between us.” She suddenly became curious and moved closer to Lucina.

A silent, brief phase occurred, creating an awkward situation between the two. Lucina, in her mind, recalled about Palutena wrapping her arms around the bluenette. She feared that her dating partner would deny the claim and produce a conflict between them, so Lucina tried her best to select the most appropriate terms in order to not upset the goddess about it. “As soon as we went to bed minutes after three in the morning, I couldn’t go into the REM cycle because you had your arms wrapped around my abdomen and maintained that position until you woke up from your REM sleeping cycle.”

“I did that?” Palutena sounded surprised to hear that happening to her and placed her right hand on her forehead. “Well, I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

“Oh, no,” Lucina felt guilty for hurting her crush even though that wasn’t the case. “It wasn’t your fault; it actually felt… soothing to me.”

“Oh,” the greenette’s tone shifted to taking advantage of the occurrence and making Lucina respond awkwardly. A smirk crept upon her lips. “So it felt nice for my heavenly arms to be wrapped around your well-toned body and nearly made love to each other?”

“Ehh, umm” the swordswoman fidgeted her arms, blushing from the goddess’s words that produced sexual images into her conscious. She made contact with Palutena’s eyes while still having her cheeks redden. “Not in that sort of sense.”

“I know, I was joking.” A chuckle came from the greenette.

“I think I should have seen that coming” Lucina joined her crush in laughing together before she spoke up again. “I actually assumed that you preferred to sleep by yourself as you would have back at your world.”

“To tell you the truth, I feel better sharing a bed with someone once in a while. Sleeping on my bed in my room here in the mansion reminds me too much of my loneliness back at Skyworld.”

“Why does your resting in your room resemble being lonesome at your world? I’m a bit confused with your words.”

“With leading my army and being alone in my temple most of the time, I rarely have time to socialize with people” justified by the goddess who didn’t seem to mind revealing something personal. “So being invited to Smash just to take a break from Skyworld was one of the best things to happen to me because I wouldn’t have met amazing people like you, Lucina.”

“Oh, thank you” Lucina thanked awkwardly, fidgeting her fingers with more force than before. “We should get going before-“

A knock came from outside, silencing the bluenette from speaking to her goddess.

“Are you two awake?” A voice of a pink princess asked them politely. “Everyone is awake, and we’re making brunch. Actually, it’s prepared already, so if you two could hurry a little bit, then that’ll be great for your food since it will become less cold.”

“Don’t worry, Peach, we’ll be there shortly” Palutena responded.

“Okay,” she said happily before returning to the dining table.

“I can’t wait to eat” the greenette said, tasting the food in her mouth already.

“I’m also quite famished as well” the swordswoman agreed just to keep the conversation alive. “Lady Palutena, do you want to do something together later today?”

“I wish, but I promised Pit that I would go with him to this new place he found today,” she responded, hesitating if she should really say that.

“Oh, I see” Lucina answered disappointingly and sadly. She then thought of something else just to keep herself optimistic. “How about this Saturday, you and I can go somewhere and engage in amusing activities, just the two us?”

“You want another date?” Palutena asked to confirm Lucina’s request.

“If that’s fine by you, then it is fine by me.” She hoped that it was be labelled as a date.

“Saturday will be lovely, Lucina. Of course, we can go on another date,” she playfully caressed the bluenette’s hair, causing Lucina to blush again.

“Great, I can stop by your room at 4.” That was the first time Lucina didn’t act so awkwardly when her face was reddened brightly.

“Great, I will be waiting for you, darling.”

Lucina just smiled with her reaction from obtaining another date from the woman she liked. The goddess, in return, reciprocated.

“Well, I’m going to clean up first” the greenette stood up, stretching her body once more before turning to Lucina. “So don’t try to peak at my naked body in the shower.”

“You have my promise” Lucina swore before her goddess walked into the bathroom to shower. The running water reduced Palutena’s hearing ability to listen from the outside, so the bluenette walked cautiously towards the bathroom door and had her right hand above the doorknob. Then she had questioned herself if this was the right to do. “This is wrong. I shouldn’t do this kind of thing. I’m dating her and breaking this promise will surely devastate our relationship.”

She decided to not twist the doorknob and let her crush shower in peace. Once Palutena finished washing herself, Lucina went inside the bathroom to clean up before arriving at the dining table.

Throughout the afternoon, Lucina spent her time hanging out with Robin at the common area since it was empty with other Smashers taking full advantage of their two-week vacation. The swordswoman explained to the tactician about what happened between her and Palutena that night. Robin’s response was a playful smirk on her face and had joked about how Palutena wanted to make love to her friend. Lucina unfortunately played along with the tactician and felt disgusted to behave that way. She wished that she shouldn’t have said that, but it was too late.

“So, what’s your plan for two weeks, Lucy?” Robin asked in a serious manner.

“For this upcoming Saturday, I plan on going on another date with Lady Palutena” she responded better than she expected by not blushing or acting awkwardly about her romantic relationship with the goddess. “Other than that, I have nothing else planned.”

“Wow, that’s awesome of you to ask her out by yourself” the mage guessed correctly.

“Robin, how did you know that I asked out Lady Palutena?”

“I just know” she humorously answered back, shrugging her shoulders to emphasize her point.

“Because you are a tactician, you figure things out easily.”

“Pretty much.”

“I knew that” Lucina closed her eyes for a brief stint to calm herself down and engage in the conversation more efficiently. “Robin, do you have plans during the fourteen days of vacation?”

“I can read books now since I have the opportunity to read them more” she began her response. “There are places I want to go into the city that I’ve never been to, and I can hang out with Dark Pit.”

“Hold on a minute, did you say hanging out with Dark Pit?” The bluenette couldn’t believe with what she just heard and asked to make sure she wasn’t delusional.

“Yeah, is there a problem?” Robin replied with a question, furrowing her one eyebrow.

“It’s not hanging out with Pit’s doppelgänger that’s the problem; it’s more about why do you want to?” Lucina defended her side thinking about her own question at the same time, deciding if she made any sense.

“He’s a cool guy to me” Robin admitted. “We have some things we like and some things that we have felt before. It’s like we connect to an extent.”

“I understand” the swordswoman felt better for her tactician friend since she’s happy for her.

“At least he’s better than Falco.”

“No doubt about that.”

“Robin. Lucina,” a voice sounded strikingly familiar to the two women as they saw another tactician with a blond swordsman who could see the future with his vision.

“Hey, what’s bro?” Robin waved a hello to her brother and then to Shulk. “And what’s up, Shulk?”

“I’m okay, besides with last night’s party” Avatar replied by placing his hand on the side of his head as if he had a headache or was hungover. “Never again.”

“Yeah, when you drink four different types of alcohol, it’s pretty bad” Shulk’s tone sounded like it was obviously horrible to drink that much.

“ _Now_ I know” Avatar said to remind his blond friend to not repeat that again.

“Anyways, do you mind if we hang out with you two today?” The blond man asked.

“No, it’ll be more fun with more people hanging out” the female tactician replied. She patted a bean bag next to her and said, “Have a seat.”

The seer and the male tactician sat down on the bean bags. Shulk greeted Lucina as they haven’t introduced to each other for a while. The last time the two ever interacted was when the Monado swordsman dated Robin. Around that time, he and Lucina bonded well enough to trust and respect each other, but not to the point where they would secretly date. The swordswoman, however, wasn’t romantically interested in him; she viewed him as only a good friend and no more than that. She knew she couldn’t eradicate the friendship she had with the female tactician even when Robin and the seer terminated their relationship status as a couple.

“Hey, there’s a new mini golf course that’s opening today” Shulk began the conversation to hopefully do something outside the mansion since he was already bored in the household. “You guys want to go? It looks pretty fun.”

“Ooh, that’s sounds exciting to do” Robin replied with excitement. “We should definitely go there. Bro, you in?”

“Please don’t talk to me like that, it’s unusual” her brother replied, becoming annoyed by the nickname his sister gave him.

“Oh, come on” the female mage whined playfully, tapping her fist on her brother’s shoulder. “You _are_ my brother, so I can technically call you that. It’s not like your life sucks because of me.”

“Obviously, but I don’t think it’s natural for me to be called bro. The least you can do is having the decency to address me by my real name or my other Smash name.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

“It’s better than nothing.”

“Sure” Robin chuckled before shifting her eyes on Lucina. “Lucy, do you want to go to the new mini golf place?”

The bluenette snapped back to reality after zoning off about what her crush said a couple of hours back. She recalled that Palutena was going to a new place Pit wanted to go and assumed that it was the grand opening of the mini golf courses. “I don’t think it would be a good idea to go there.”

“How come?” Shulk asked in response instead of Robin.

“From what I had have heard from, Pit is arriving there as we speak, and I do not want to be in close proximity with him” Lucina reasoned Shulk, hiding the fact that she received the news from her dating partner.

“Oh, I understand because of what happened with you and Palutena” the seer immediately recognized Lucina’s reason when he heard the name Pit. “He still has a grudge against you for accidently hurting Palutena?

“I have the proper amount of reason that justifies that he does still possess some resentment against me” Lucina agreed with a sad smile. “I’m just afraid of being hollered by him.”

“Hey, Lucina, Pit’s just overprotective about Palutena; it’s not your fault that she got hurt” Shulk supported the swordswoman. “There was a legitimate mechanical error in the virtual training room.”

“Thank you for your concern about me, Shulk, but I just fear about being hurt emotionally and psychologically.”

“Avoiding conflict doesn’t work because it makes things worse. You should at least confront him and try to resolve things out.”

“If that doesn’t work?”

“Then maybe things won’t work out with you two.”

“I understand. Thank you for your assistance, Mister Shulk” she gave a hug to the seer, making him blush a little.

“Aw, how cute” Robin joked. “You two are cute together.”

“Are you insane?” Lucina denied the assumption, releasing the blonde from her hug.

“Yeah, we are so not dating” Shulk agreed with the bluenette awkwardly.

“Robin, don’t you know about something else?” The swordswoman widened her eyes and gave hints to remind the female tactician that Lucina was dating Palutena.

“Oh, yeah” Robin went along with her friend. “It’ll be awkward if you two dated since I dated Shulk, too.”

“Exactly,” Lucina agreed, just to keep the dating aspect between the goddess and her.

“I’m confused with what’s going on” Shulk responded directly to Robin and Lucina, furrowing his eyebrows as a way of being bewildered.

“Oh, it’s nothing” Robin lied, waving her right arm in a downward motion. “We should get going to that new mini golf course.”

The four got up and set their destination towards the new mini golf course in Smash City.

“Here we are Lady Palutena and Pittoo” said a white angel who appeared to be happy to hang out with his goddess and doppelgänger.

In front of the three displayed a new fashion store with tremendous variety of clothes from athletics to casual to business. Shoes and other accessories were encompassed as well in order to attract more customers. The size of the building was equivalent to or nearly less than the dimensions of an expensive mansion. It was that large. Although this newly operated store gave popularity among the citizens of Smash City and Smashers, the new fashion building had incredibly costly prices due to the quality of the fabric made for each type such as linen, wool, silk, cotton, and many more.

“This place is well-built and modernly structured” Palutena replied in positive surprise and evaluated the outside aspect of the building. “So when did this building have its grand opening?”

“The day after the finals” the white angel took notice at his goddess who seemed to be intrigued by this new place. He then shifted his eyes to his doppelganger. “Pittoo, what do you think about this place?”

_Remember what Robin told me,_ the dark angel thought to himself. “First, please don’t call me that. I don’t like it.”

“Oh, sure” Pit was completely shocked to see that Dark Pit responded to the Pittoo comment so politely. “So your opinion on this place?”

“Well, we haven’t looked inside of it, but from the outside, it looks nice” Dark Pit answered back while maintaining his neutral expression.

“You’re right,” Pit paused before asking his doppelganger’s odd behavior. “Pitto-I mean Dark Pit, are you okay or something? You’re not yourself.”

“Yeah, I’m fine” he was in the middle of being honest and lying. “Can’t a guy be nice for a while? Is there a problem with that?”

“Some guys can be nice, some are a little aggressive” Pit replied, giving a hint that the black angel was a little aggressive. “There’s nothing wrong about that.”

“Then damn right that there’s nothing wrong with it” the white angel now felt comfortable to hear Dark Pit sound like himself.

“That’s good with me.”

“Pittoo, explain to me about your short period of niceness to Pit. It’s not natural to you.” Palutena added herself in the conversation, curious about the same thing her angel thought.

“I realize that Pit here is trying to be friends with me no matter how much he annoys me because he cares about me, so I should return the favor by attempting to be friends with him” Dark Pit lied in order to prevent Pit and Palutena from harassing him about Robin since she was the reason why he began to become friendlier to the white angel.

“That’s fantastic, Pittoo!” Pit was glad to hear his reason but failed to listen to his deception. “We can be buddies forever.”

“Yay” the black angel cheered dully and without any spirit in his tone.

“Very well,” Palutena responded professionally, knowing that Pittoo was lying, but decided to let it slide so her heroic angel can enjoy a new friendship with his doppelganger. “Are you two ready to go in?”

“Yes, Lady Palutena,” Pit responded with positive energy.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go” Dark Pit had a different tone from Pit’s.

Inside the new building, the ground floor had the clothing section for shirts, dresses, and pants divided into two sections where on the left side contained the women’s wear while on the right side was the men’s. Fitting rooms were placed on separate gender sections for people to wear and see if their choice of clothing fitted or didn’t. On the first floor above the ground floor, there were shoes, socks, and accessories with the sections separated meticulously to the clothing area downstairs. Sizes for every type of outfits were organized from small to large in an east to west manner, making the search for the ideal and right fitting dimensions proportional to a person’s body simpler.

The trio had split up with the goddess eye-shopping by herself while the two opposite but identical angels looked at classy and luxurious fabrics together. Pit and Dark Pit checked for casual shirts and pants to possibly purchase for their own personal reasons.

“Hey, Dark Pit” the white angel spoke, causing his doppelganger to turn around and see two different stripe patterns: one with horizontal patterns while the other was vertical. “I like two of these shirts, but which one seems better?”

“The horizontal one” the dark angel replied quickly after gazing at the two shirts for a split second. “You can’t buy two because it would cost so much.”

“Tell me about that” agreed Pit. “I mean we’re not here to buy things immediately; we’re here to look at nice clothes and see how expensive they are.”

“I can agree to that” Dark Pit approved of his doppelganger’s statement. He revealed an example by taking a black dress pants that were made of wool and looked at the price tag. “How can you pay that much for a single dress pants? It’s like this place wants you to fritter your cash away on one item.”

“But on the bright side, the quality of the fabric makes you look good and have positive emotions emitting out of yourself” Pit made the situation of the new fashion store less troubling, so the circumstance weighed better than bad.

“I guess so.”

“Yeah” a pause gave enough time for Pit to ask his doppelganger about his earlier strange behavior towards him. He had a hunch of why he was acting that way. “Pittoo, are you acting nice to me because you want to impress Robin?”

Dark Pit, in response, froze, immediately stopping from whatever he was doing. That topic was the one thing he didn’t really like to discuss because one, Pit would constantly be on him about it, and two, he would feel uncomfortable about it. Since the white angel mentioned it, he could deny it or disclose the truth. Then he thought of a third option, which was playing along with Pit and lying about it, just to get him off of his back. However, there was a possibility that it could backfire as he mused if the female tactician figured out the nonexistent plan he devised and admonish him for not listening to her. He had the two options left to choose. Either way, it was going to be revealed anyways, so Dark Pit thought to tell everything honestly and get the stress off of his chest.

“No, there’s the real reason why I am becoming friendlier to you” the black angel responded with sincerity, sighing from releasing the stress he restrained to himself.

“Then what?” Pit replied inquisitively.

“I’m not impressing Robin; she convinced me to become better friends with you by saying you care and trust me, so that’s why. Don’t even try to be all touched by this.” He changed his tone from honesty to a bit aggressive.

“I won’t, but I must say… you really got persuaded by your girl.” The white angel smirked to joke around.

“Hey, she has a way with convincing” Dark Pit defended himself.

“I can see that.”

“Let’s just continue with what we’re doing” Dark Pit focused his eyes on the clothes and checked each one stiffly.

“Um, okay” Pit didn’t seem to mind and enjoyed his time searching through overpriced items.

The three Kid Icarus characters did find clothes they found intriguing and fascinating, but they decided to not purchase anything due to the expensive pricing. The next plan for them was to find a place to eat before spending additional hours roaming around the city.

It was evening when Lucina, Robin, Avatar, and Shulk returned to the mansion after playing mini golf and eating at a buffet. Throughout the duration of the game, the two tacticians were tied for first considering that both of the siblings utilized their critical thinking skills the most with calculation of angles and the amount of force applied to each swing. The seer and the swordswoman simply wanted to learn how to play and enjoy their time playing. While the Robins competed against each other in a sibling rivalry, Lucina and Shulk had the time to socialize together and learn more about each other. The one thing that gave a connection between the two was the future. Lucina didn’t want to let the future be written while Shulk knew that the future was his to decide. She found it relieving that she found someone who can relate to her with that.

“Today was fun” Shulk said to his group, satisfied with the day he spent.

“I can almost agree to that if Robin didn’t cheat on that last hole” responded Avatar who was displeased that he lost to his sister with what appeared to be an alleged cheating.

“It wasn’t cheating; it was more of pure skill and kicking your ass at the last-minute shot” Robin defended her act while making a small humorous joke.

“Making that long shot is extremely improbable to succeed,” he argued against his sister.

“So what, there was a small chance that I could sink it in, and I did,” she made a gesture that irritated Avatar.

“Ugh, there’s no point in discussing this” the male tactician groaned as a way of giving in and shrugged his shoulders.

“Obviously” Robin had her palm face upwards to agree with her brother.

“It’s getting late, and I’m going to bed.”

“So you can cry over your loss?” Robin joked and gave a teasing smirk.

“Haha” he sarcastically laughed before turning away and heading towards his room. “Goodnight all.”

The three waved and wished the male tactician a good night’s rest.

“I should get going to my bed as well” Shulk added, stretching his arms outwards and yawning simultaneously.

“Me, too” the female tactician agreed. “I’m going to read a book before sleeping. Goodnight, Lucy.”

“Sleep well” the bluenette said before she was all by herself. Shortly, she became occupied by another person.

“Lucina” said a familiar voice that froze the swordswoman’s tracks.

“Palutena, hello,” she slowly replied, seeing her goddess look content made her smile. “How was your day?”

“It was a fine day, thank you for asking” the greenette was glad to be asked about her day. “That new clothing store Pit found was amazing, but the pricing was expensive.”

“The new place you planned to go with Pit was a clothing department?” Lucina seemed to be surprised by her crush’s answer. However, it would explain why she didn’t see Palutena at the mini golf course.

“Yeah, why are you surprised by that?”

“It’s just that I went with some friends to another newly built business with mini golf courses everywhere.”

“Mini golf? I don’t think I’ve been there.”

“It’s grand opening was yesterday and we’ve been focusing on the tournament, so it’s reasonable to not know about it.”

“What’s it like?” The goddess became curious about it.

“It’s a vast and breathtaking experience for me” Lucina felt quite glad to remember a memorable time playing mini golf with friends. “I think you will enjoy the experience.”

“I think I will because…” Palutena brought suspension, hinting something what the bluenette thought to be a date. “You and I will go there Saturday for our date.”

“Yes, yes,” Lucina quickly answered back with a huge grin on her face that refused to cease. “It is definitely and indubitably a date on Saturday, just the two of us.”

“Great, I can’t wait for our next date” Palutena went for a hug, causing the swordswoman to hug back and bury her face into the goddess’s arms.

“I should say the same to you” was all she could say.

“Fantastic.”


	17. Chapter 17

 

Chapter 17

Behind the mansion was a large, plain field covering small grasses and dirt dry enough to run and walk for a long time. Not many people used the field behind their house; instead, the un-industrialized area was mostly occupied to play sports. On this day, many Smashers decided to play a big game of football (soccer). There were more people playing than the standard, traditional eleven-versus-eleven style while the parameter of the field was larger as well. It was now a more entertaining and chaotic match.

At the hills, there were two archery targets, each one having multiple circles with different colors where the yellow ones were at the center while the red, blue, and black ones were outside of it. They were within each other in other terms. A regular and a doppelgänger bow were held by a black angel who was with a female tactician. One quiver containing many arrows was given to the female Smasher while the other male Smasher didn’t necessarily need to have one.

“Hey, Robin” Dark Pit had introduced to the female mage with a wave. “What’s up?”

“Sup, angel” she greeted back and smiled, setting down a book she was reading. Robin then stood up and stretched her back to loosen herself. “I was just reading something before you came.”

“Is it a good book?” He wondered.

“It’s pretty fascinating” Robin took a quick glance at the bows Dark Pit was holding. “So, I wonder what we are going to do today.”

“You’re funny with your sarcasm” he complimented with a little grin.

“I know, it’s my thing” she made a gesture that made her know that sarcasm was her trait. “Anyways, let’s get on with what you’re planning to do.”

“Oh, yeah, right” Dark Pit playfully tapped his head as if he forgot what he was originally planning to present Robin. “So, remember when I learned your spells here last week?”

“I remember” she chuckled the time that he failed miserably on attempting to cast magic from her spell book. “You were hurting yourself for not listening to me when I gave you good advice.”

“I think I realize that” Dark Pit thought the response was dumb to say. “Come on; let’s focus on with the targets and bows than making fun of ourselves.”

“Then go ahead, angel.”

Dark Pit calmed himself first before giving a regular bow and a quiver to Robin. “Since I got to learn about your spells, it’s time to change the tables. I’ll be teaching you about archery.”

“Hah, this will be easy to learn” Robin prematurely and arrogantly said, thinking that she’ll do well on the first try.

“Are you sure about that?” Dark Pit asked slowly, mocking the fact that he made the same mistake before. “It’s tougher than you think.”

“Bring it on. Teach me, Dark Pit.”

“Then I will!” He said aloud before talking quietly. “Before that, let me show you how it’s done.”

He took the regular bow and used a normal arrow instead of his purple, controllable arrows. His feet were shoulders apart, positioning slightly further from the usual distance of archery, as his body was facing away from Robin. The projectile was placed on the arrow rest as its tail had locked on the string. He closed his right eye to get an improved, accurate pinpoint on the archery target with his left eye as he pulled the string backwards until the tip of the arrow was on the resting ledge. Then the dark angel took the wind factor into consideration before releasing his shot and moved slightly to the left. He held his breath for one last calculation. A release from the string pushed the projectile forward at incredible velocity, hitting the small yellow circle at the center of the archery target. He had made a bullseye.

“See?” Dark Pit placed his bow at his side. “It’s about concentration and power.”

“Concentration and power, got it” she took the bow and took an arrow out of a quiver. “I’ll get that bullseye on my first try.”

“Whatever you say, Robin” he rolled his eyes over in disbelief.

“Hmph” the female tactician repeated the standing position that the black angel had done. She stretched the string back until the base of the tip was at the resting ledge. When Robin had let go of the pulled string, the arrow went on a downward trajectory and struck the ground in a diagonal position.

Dark Pit, in response, had laughed hysterically by the irony between Robin’s arrogance and failed attempt to land a hit on the target. It didn’t enrage Robin, but it irritated her. At the same time, she did blame herself for prematurely predicting a successful trial.

“T-that was so bad” he said while continuing to laugh at the female tactician.

“Haha” Robin sarcastically replied. “I was careless.”

“Sure, sure, I’ll believe that” he had his hand out to make the situation a bit worse.

“Fine,” she gave in. “I may not be adept in archery, but I can still learn.”

“Yeah,” Dark Pit became serious. “Want me to give you some advice?”

“If it helps me improve, then hell yeah, angel.”

He observed Robin’s form when she pulled her string backwards. Immediately, he spotted a mistake with her arms: the left one being not completely straight while the right one was not close enough to her chin.

“Here,” he was behind the female tactician as he rearranged her arms to make the form look better. “Left arm has to be extended straight, and the right hand should be really close to your chin here.”

“Thanks, angel” she said politely and with a smile. “It feels better now.”

“No problem” he responded still holding the newly adjusted position he was holding for Robin. The feeling he was getting from touching Robin made him warm up and send tingling sensations to his spine. He thought that it wasn’t a good time to feel that way, but he couldn’t control it since it just happens. Dark Pit wanted to say something nice to her but was interrupted.

“You know, you could let go of me” she pretended to be uncomfortable with the close contact with each other, mostly Dark Pit contacting her. “I think I can handle this position on my own.”

“Oh, sorry, Robin” he pulled back awkwardly, causing his cheeks to redden moderately and scratch his black hair. “I just want to help you as all, nothing more than that.”

“Yeah, thanks” she spoke back strangely as she was a bit confused by his behavior. Continuing from her second shot, she took more time to concentrate on her archery skills by using her one eye. Robin held her breath for a moment before releasing the string. When she did, the arrow struck the inner red circle, improving her performance from her first attempt.

“Yeah, that’s the way to do it, Robin” Dark Pit cheered, punching his fists in the air.

“Hah, looks like I got nothing to fear. Give me a high-five, angel” she had her right hand up high for the dark angel’s hand to touch hers. He did so. “Let’s face each other in a match.”

“Calm down, Robin,” he reasoned the tactician; mostly to not wanting to embarrass her in a game that he was exceedingly well in. “You’re still fairly new to this, and I don’t want you to rush into this.”

“Oh, I see where this is going. You think I’m going to lose to you terribly.”

“I never said that.”

“But you’re thinking that way.”

“Fine,” he surrendered. “Just don’t complain over my victory to you.”

“Being presumptuous I see” she playfully messed with Dark Pit.

“Heh, I guess so” he played along with Robin. “Ready to get your ass kicked?”

“Bring it on, angel.”

Dark Pit and Robin engaged in a fierce and competitive archery match like an Olympic sport. Arrows shot, strings or rings were pulled, and targets were hit. In the beginning, the black angel didn’t perform at his optimum as he intentionally missed the yellow targets just to give Robin a chance to win against him. Unfortunately, she quickly caught his ruse and reprimanded him for not playing competitively. Consequently, Dark Pit had to put on his A-game, which caused him to consistently hit the yellow targets receiving nine or ten points for each one. It satisfied and motivated Robin to perform better. At times, the two exchanged small compliments about how their shots were good or how well they did in one round. Not many impersonal or personal topics to discuss during their match, and it usually happened afterwards. After rounds of archery, Dark Pit proved to be the better archer, winning by ten points.

Robin congratulated him for playing the game with effort and shook his hand. Dark Pit just simply smiled in response since seeing her beautiful grin and hearing her voice made him happy. Soon the two returned to archery, but they decided to just practice, have fun, and talk about things.

“So, Robin,” the dark angel spoke up first while slowly pulling his rings for a shot at the target. “I just need to say this.”

“Say what?” Robin responded inquisitively, taking a shot after releasing her string, which struck a red target.

“How’s Lucina doing? I just want to know because she’s your friend, and I still feel stupid for calling her that word to you” his rhythm was off while his tone sounded like he was nervous talking about something. It made his form loose, so he quickly adjusted.

“Oh,” she thought it was something more personal than that but was glad to hear that he cared about the people she was fond with. “She’s great so far. Lucy is just living her life, the way she wants to.”

“Lucy?” He asked before chuckling at the nickname Robin gave to Lucina. “Why do you call her Lucy?”

“I don’t know… I guess her name, Lucina, sounds like Lucy without the n-a, so I started calling her that. At first, she didn’t like it but got used to it.”

“Makes sense to me.”

“Anyways, she’s planning to go somewhere Saturday, and although it’s something I’m supposed to keep, but I trust you Dark Pit.”

With that, Dark Pit had his eyes widen, knowing what was going to happen on that day because Palutena confided that information to him without obviously disclosing it to Pit. His stance became stiff, shoulders shrugging upwards slightly. Robin immediately took notice of his strange position and dropped her bow down. She had such an eye.

“Something wrong, angel?” She became a bit worried about Dark Pit.

“I don’t want to hear the secret, Robin” he hastily responded and made unnecessary noises to block off outside sounds. “One secret is already enough.”

“Hey, dude, stop making stupid noises,” the female tactician tried to cover Dark Pit’s mouth to reduce the volume of the sound.

“I’m not going to” he stubbornly said back, continuing to make sounds so that he didn’t hear Robin’s secret about Lucina.

“Oh, for Naga’s sake,” she reached out her spell book but didn’t open it. “Arcfire!”

“Holy-“ the black angel stumbled backwards, flinching from the flashback he had when the flames burnt his finger by the smallest of pain. He saw that Robin’s spell book wasn’t even open and became enraged. “What the hell was that for?!”

“To shut you up,” she replied, returning the book to its original spot. “Can you explain your erratic behavior to me?”

“I just don’t want another secret to be given to me” he honestly answered, closing his eyes for one moment before opening them again.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Huh?”

“You said you didn’t want another secret for you to keep since you already have one. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“I might,” he decided to hide the allegation by playfully messing around with the female tactician. “I may know something.”

“And I might know something, too” she already knew where this was going. “You know, we don’t have to do this if you just tell me what you know about the other secret.”

“I don’t have to say anything because you want me to tell you about my first secret.”

“I’ll just say that it involves with Lucina this Saturday” she became suspicious of Dark Pit.

“It’s possible” his expression revealed that it did involve that. Robin saw the expression and continued to push him to the edge.

“Okay,” she held out her cell phone to intimidate him. “I’ll just call your doppelgänger because you’re keeping a secret between yourself and a goddess from someone I know who happens to like someone you know because your doppelgänger serves her.”

“Holy crap,” he exclaimed in shock, pointing his finger at her. “You know about Palutena and Lucina?”

“Of course, I know about those two dating each other. I helped Lucina ask her out, angel” her voice was equivalent to Dark Pit’s reaction.

“My goddess told me that as well!”

There was short period of awkward silence as the two tried to sort out what was just said to them. Robin thought no one else knew about Lucina dating Palutena because her sword-fighting friend wanted to keep it a secret from everyone. It now made sense to her since the greenette would confide the secret relationship to Pittoo simply due to the fact that he was different from Pit based on personality. Dark Pit believed the exact thing the female tactician thought to herself, although they couldn’t communicate through their minds.

“Hey,” Robin awkwardly spoke first.

“Hey,” he responded accordingly.

“I just want to say that,” she had to breathe a little deeper before expressing her feelings. “I am _so_ glad that a good friend like you knows about Lucy and Palutena.”

“Wait, you are?” Dark Pit was surprised to hear that response.

“Of course,” she thought his question was ridiculous to ask. “It’s good to know that I don’t have to put such a heavy burden on myself. I got you to talk to when I’m stressed or about this.”

“Oh, yeah, you do” he scratched the back of his hair and had his face redden. “Um, we should continue practicing archery.”

“Cool with me, angel.”

Lucina was getting ready for her date with Palutena. Still in her room, she combed her long blue hair and stylized it until it was perfect enough to impress the goddess. She decided to go in a blue blouse that had a darker shade of blue. Her blouse had a mandarin collar, a button-front closure, a three-quarter-sleeve with ruching, a shirt-tail hem, and ended at her hips. To complement the color and density of her shirt, the pants she wore were black that were not too big or too skinny, just having a circumference bigger than her legs. Once Lucina finalized her hair, she had put on her black flat shoes covering only her toes and heel. She was not fond of high heels because they cause pain to her feet and made walking became a challenge. A small purse was carried as she exited out of her room and double-checked everything before shutting the door. Her checklist was completed, now moving on to the next step, which was heading towards her crush’s room.

“Who is it?” Palutena asked aloud as she was putting on her outfit.

“It’s me, Lucina” the bluenette responded normally without any awkwardness in her tone.

“Oh,” the greenette sounded happy to hear her swordswoman’s voice. “I’ll be at the door very shortly, Lucina dear.”

“Yes, Lady Palutena” Lucina responded, waiting for her goddess to open the door in front of her.

When the door was opened, Lucina was just astonished to see Palutena in her purple alternate outfit for Smash. The color of her dress made her appear more mysterious and gorgeous than before, making the swordswoman gaze without focusing on the goddess herself.

“You like this dress?” She asked with a smile, knowing that Lucina liked her purple outfit.

“Yes, it’s very beautiful, just like you” Lucina couldn’t believe that she said that, and when she realized it, she kept a straight face to prevent any detection of any blushing or awkwardness.

“Aw, thanks, so does your outfit” Palutena replied, noticing Lucina’s outfit for their date. “You’re sexy without that armor.”

“Oh, thank you for that compliment” the bluenette didn’t blush that time. It looked like she was more comfortable being with her now, but it was not like every compliment or romantic act would make her face redden. “Are you ready to go?”

“I am ready to go play some mini golf” the greenette held Lucina’s hand. “Let’s go, Lucy.”

The two walked outside the mansion without anyone seeing them holding hands together. That gave a sigh of relief to Lucina since she still refused to allow their relationship to be announced publicly.

The sight of the newly opened mini golf course brought some memories back to the swordswoman as she saw so many people ranging from kids to adults having a good time. Palutena was new to the facility, so she had to be guided by Lucina who seemed to like the idea to lead the date first. A counter was in front of them while behind it was the unbelievably challenging courses where sinking hole-in-ones were nearly impossible to achieve.

“How can I help you ladies today?” A Mii cashier asked with such politeness as if he was a fan of either or both women in Smash.

“We would like to play mini golf for two” Lucina responded.

“Will this be basic or regular?”

“Oh, um, Lady Palutena, what would you prefer to participate in?” The swordswoman shifted her eyes to her goddess.

“I guess I would take the second option. It looks the most fun one to me” the goddess replied with a smile.

“Then it is settled,” the bluenette then stared at the cashier. “We will participate in the regular gameplay.”

“Great,” the Mii pressed the icons on his computer to correctly input the type of gameplay and the total pricing for it. “The total will be twenty-one twenty please.”

Palutena reached into her purse and picked her wallet to pay in cash, but her hand was halted by her date.

“Lady Palutena, please allow me to pay for everything” Lucina paid the cashier the exact amount total for two people playing all courses.

“Thank you, ma’am” the cashier gratefully accepted the cash and gave Lucina a receipt. “Just grab any putter and ball on your left and enjoy the game.”

“Thank you, sir, and you have a great day.”

“Thanks, and so do you two.”

Lucina and Palutena saw a shack of putters and golf balls displaying many variations in color and design. The amazing thing they witnessed was that many of those had icons of the franchise each fighter represented. Lucina took a putter with a Fire Emblem icon and a blue ball while Palutena obtained a putter with a Kid Icarus icon and a red ball. The first hole was not very far from them, so they decided to walk there casually.

“Lucina, dear,” Palutena initiated the conversation as she and Lucina walked together. “You didn’t have to pay for me.”

“But it was necessary,” defended the swordswoman. “You are a divine being, so I have to honor you with that title.”

“Is that really the reason?” Palutena didn’t buy it.

“Partially,” Lucina admitted. “It was a way of saying how much you make me happy whenever I’m with you and returning that favor by making you content as well.”

“That’s very cute, Lucina” she replied with a smile.

“It’s my honest and sincere truth.”

“I know, and that’s what I like about you: honest, caring, and serious-minded. Good qualities for you.”

“Ehh, thank you, Lady Palutena” Lucina fidgeted her fingers and blushed from her crush’s response.

Quickly, they reached the first hole, which was a simple, straight-in shot. It appeared it was designed that way to understand the game easier.

“Do you want to go first, Lucina?” The greenette asked, so she can observe her date’s form.

“Lady Palutena, you can go first because I want to give you a fair chance and help you if there’s any problem” Lucina reasoned for not making the first hit.

“Very well, I guess I’ll go first” Palutena placed her ball on the white circle that acted like a tee.

“Lady Palutena,” Lucina was behind her and took control of her hands. “With your feet shoulders apart, your arms must be slightly bent for better accurate shots.”

“I see, thanks, Lucina” she responded with a smile without the bluenette seeing it. Then a strange feeling developed inside Palutena as she felt her heart race faster than normal whenever Lucina nearly hugged her from the back. Then her body temperature elevated a little higher and became a bit stiff. The biggest surprise to her was where her cheeks had reddened slightly. She was blushing for the first time since the preliminary match. No explanation could be thought up by the greenette as she tried figuring out why peculiar things were happening to her. Right now was too late as Lucina helped her goddess sink a hole-in-one in such a simple course.

“It is not difficult to learn” the bluenette spoke up, smiling at her goddess.

“Definitely, but I will defeat you, Lucina” she jokingly responded, trying to hide her awkwardness away.

“Then you have to prove it, Lady Palutena” Lucina played along, having some awkwardness in her tone.

Five golf courses have passed by. Lucina had the advantage with three points ahead of her goddess, which wasn’t much of a surprise. The two women did play competitively to an extent where they had fun as well. Palutena, in her mind, experienced unusual behavior, for instance, whenever she saw the swordswoman putt, she never realized how amazing and pretty Lucina was. That was not there before, and suddenly she had this feeling where she began to develop a romantic affection for her. As a result, the greenette shrugged off the odd feeling and returned to play mini golf as normal as she could. No matter how much she tried, it kept crawling back to her, infecting her mind with being attracted to Lucina.

The sixth course had a difficult level where it displayed a zigzag-like model with the incline slanted inwards. One mistake of a power shot or calculation will result in an out-of-bounds and loss of a stroke. It was one of those holes where golfers’ scores were drastically shattered with competitive athletes taking it more seriously out of all types of people. Palutena and Lucina were prepared to face the zigzag course.

“This doesn’t look promising” the goddess gazed at the course, possibly intimidated by its difficulty.

“Yes, I can agree to your statement” the bluenette responded with a similar expression.

“Shall I go?”

“Permission to allow me to go first, Lady Palutena?” Lucina kneeled down to respect a high authority figure.

“You are sanctioned to go first, Lucina, honey,” Palutena couldn’t help but smile by the word “honey.”

“Thank you,” the swordswoman stood up and placed her ball on the tee. Her form was well positioned, nothing wrong in particular. She readjusted herself for a better angle for the first sharp curve on the left without striking it excessively forceful. Lucina slowly moved back her arms, engendering her body to turn to the newly accustomed position. An adequate hit from her putt had pushed the ball up towards the first curve, then falling down and climbing up to the second sharp curve and so forth until the ball landed on a safe zone where it was ten feet away from the hole.

“Very excellent,” Palutena clapped at her date for surviving the disastrous zigzags. “Now it’s my turn.”

“Thank you for your response,” thanked Lucina who smiled back beautifully. “You will perform well, Lady Palutena.”

“You’re too kind” was her response before walking up to the mat and placing her ball on the tee. She repeated what the swordswoman did, but she ended up landing her ball on the water, pouting at the result.

“Oh, no,” Lucina gasped. “I’m sorry to see that happen.”

“Relax,” Palutena reasoned to Lucina and herself. “I’m not very skilled at this game.”

“Do not worry; I will retrieve your ball” the bluenette carefully stepped on stones in order to prevent an embarrassing fall into the cold waters. Luckily, Lucina got the ball out of the water, dried it, and placed it back on the tee. “There, it is now perfectly fine.”

“Thanks again, Lucina, you’re too noble” she playfully tapped Lucina’s shoulder.

“It is part of who I am” the bluenette played along and became more tolerant with it. “Just focus and let the ball spin.”

“I’ll try” Palutena said pessimistically before swinging her putt. This time, she improved significantly better as the ball was merely a foot away from the hole, nearly perfecting a hole-in-one shot. The greenette had a sigh of relief for having her ball travel the entire sharp turns without it plummeting into the freezing waters again.

“Here’s my birdie shot” Lucina swung her putter at ease, sinking the ball into the hole without trouble.

“Well done” Palutena admitted. She simply tapped her red ball without being in a putting stance since it was pointless to do so. “Looks like I need to catch up to you if I want to win.”

“Yes, and I’ll still cheer for you no matter what.”

Throughout the every course that the two women had played, it was a close and intense match as the goddess caught up to the swordswoman at the seventeenth hole, one more hole left before the winner was decided. The score was now tied, and the final course was all left before determining the emerging winner.

The eighteenth, final hole was a bit of a no surprise as it was shaped like the Smash icon but with inclines and downward slants to spice up the game. Palutena and Lucina had to wait since so many people were in line for the last hole. It was a good time to consume food for dinner.

“Lucina, where do you want to eat?” Palutena asked as she looked across food carts and small restaurants that would interest her to dine in.

“There’s a myriad of options to choose from, which makes me uncertain to decide” her date responded after scoping around to look somewhere to eat.

“Well, let’s be a little crazy and walk straight into a random one” the greenette suggested as she held her swordswoman’s hand.

“Isn’t that abnormal and irrational?”

“Absolutely not!” She humorously exclaimed. “It beats than wasting time contemplating and being unsure of where to eat.”

“Good point” Lucina nodded her head. “Let’s go then.”

The place they ended up going to was a sandwich shop, which satisfied them both. Palutena ordered a large turkey club while Lucina had chosen a Panini. Once their food and drinks were ready, they took their trays and headed for the tables outside to simply enjoy the nature while eating their meals.

The initial conversation while both women ate was about how vast and enjoyable the place was. There were more than twenty courses and people can choose any course except for the final course being as reserved for golfers who needed one more course to finish their gameplay. It eventually shifted to learning more about Skyworld and Ylisse where the greenette and the bluenette were intrigued to learn about.

Soon outsiders nearly ruined their date.

“Whoa, it’s the most unoriginal Smasher in history” mocked a male teenager who targeted Lucina.

“Not only that, she’s _clone_ as well” played along his best friend who seemed to enjoy it. “Hey, clone! You’re the definition of that word clone because you stole someone’s identity and his move-set. Clone!”

“HAHAHA! Exactly, a waste of a fighter in Smash! Everyone stay away from the clone!”

Lucina became distraught and hid her face in shame of the verbal attacks the two teenagers made to her. She tried so hard to not sob in tears because of the immature boys and her date. Then she had the courage to speak up. “Please, leave me alone.”

“How can we leave you alone if we see another Marth?” The first teenager rudely answered back in a question.

“You two better end your insulting behavior towards Lucina” the goddess spoke up angrily and indignantly. Her stare didn’t daunt the two teenaged boys. Not even a small flinch.

“Normally, we would say yes since you, Palutena, are original, but we must sadly decline because you’re hanging out with a clone, a disease of the Smash community” the second male responded by pretending to be professional, which obviously wasn’t very proficient at it.

“You two better leave before I do something about it” the bluenette threatened them with her eyes being watery.

“Or what, fight exactly like Marth and be a clone to him, clone?” Both teenagers said in a creepily tone since it was in synchronization.

“Okay, that is ENOUGH!” Palutena stood up and punched her fist on the table, which shattered into six parts. Such strength. Her infuriating, blazing eyes finally scared the boys since they stepped back. “You two boys better apologize to Lucina or else I will personally find your home and burn it until Medusa and Hades see it and take you two ungrateful boys with them. UNDERSTOOD?!” Her final holler boomed the entire perimeter of the mini golf course, catching the attention of every participant and employee.

“S-sorry, Lucina” the second male said before running away.

“Y-yeah, sorry, Lucina” the first male repeated the same.

Then the owner of the mini golf course rushed to them about the broken table.

“I apologize for my anger, sir” Palutena apologized sincerely and angelically. She took out her wallet and gave the owner a stack of money. “Here’s the money to replace your table that I broke. I’m truly sorry; I was just upset by those immature kids over there.”

“Oh, it’s very fine about that, but thanks for the payment. I need to keep the place in tip-top shape. Please you two have a wonderful rest of the evening.”

“Will do, and you, sir, also have a great evening.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, Lucina,” the goddess shifted her eyes to her date who felt much better than before. “Sorry for ruining your meal.”

“That’s the least of my worries” she smiled back. “I want to say thank you for standing up with me.”

“I had to. No one shall harm my date like that. It will irk me so much that I’ll snap into a raging Zeus.”

Lucina chuckled by Palutena’s deadpanned response on the latter part of her answer. “Let’s finish this game before leaving.”

“You got it, Lucy.”

They decided to wait in the long line for the final hole, which took an hour to wait. When they finally had the opportunity to putt, Lucina went first and finished a par. Palutena, on the other hand, was just over the par stroke and received a bogey instead, causing her to lose the game. She didn’t mind losing at all since it was a mix of competitive and fun, so it was alright to lose.

Once they completed the mini golf courses, the two women decided to spend extra hours walking around the city to simply talk about things that just popped out of their heads. Their discussions brought up more about their own world and past; it gave them some connection towards each other. One would be what would Lucina behave like if she didn’t have her father along with Palutena who would be different if Pit wasn’t there for her all the time. It gave the two some connection that they can’t live without the people they dearly love and care for. And another connection they had was fighting to save the world from eternal darkness, knowing that it was their duty to fight off against the evil and corrupted beings. Those two common aspects that Palutena and Lucina given them a sense of compatibility towards each other. They even mentioned what life would be like if they lived in the same world together.

By the end of the night, the two women returned to the mansion fully satisfied from the date they had. It was getting late, and they wanted to rest up before feeling refreshed for another relaxing vacation. They have stopped at Lucina’s door first since the last time it was at the goddess’s room.

“Today was really fun” the greenette said with a smile. “I had a great time with you tonight.”

“So did I, Lady Palutena,” the bluenette bowed down to respond to a goddess. “Our date was one of the more intimate ones, and I enjoyed it fully.”

“That’s right, there’s nothing I will argue against that.”

“Should we schedule another date?”

“Of course, Lucy, I will never decline a date with you. Never” the greenette placed her right hand Lucina’s shoulder.

“I’m glad to hear that. Will next Friday be your best time of availability?”

“Yes, it is. I’ll look forward to it.”

“Great,” the swordswoman simply grinned from the good things happening to her now. “Have a good night.”

“You, too, Lucy,” Palutena, without realizing it at first, placed her index finger and thumb on Lucina’s chin and planted a kiss on her left cheek. The bluenette was so shocked by the unexpected move her crush made that she blushed very harshly while slightly opening her mouth, yet smiled at the same time, feeling the soft, angelic, and heavenly lips from her beautiful goddess. It lasted shortly, but to them, it felt like the kiss took an eternity to end. “Oh, um, good night, Lucina” Palutena blushed by her kiss and awkwardly ended their date. She returned to her room, laid her back on the bed, and thought to herself, _I can’t believe I kissed Lucina on the cheek. What’s going on with me?_

The swordswoman entered into her room and made a small squeal to herself while hopping with giddy as she felt the best thing that ever happened to her in such long time. “Lady Palutena just kissed me on the cheek. I’m so happy right now. I don’t think I could sleep now. I wish that kiss lasted longer.” She touched her hand on the cheek that Palutena kissed and cherished that kiss, hoping that their relationship will take a step further.

Eventually, she did fall asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Days have passed since the mini-golf date. Not much had happened for both women with the exception of just constantly remembering the date. The one thing that stood out to Lucina was the kiss on the cheek because it was still unexpected for Palutena to do such a thing. A tingling sensation ran down her spine as the intangible feeling of the goddess’s heavenly lips kept coming back her by the mere thought of it. A couple of times Lucina saw Palutena whether it was at the mansion or in the city, and she was even shy enough to even approach to the greenette due to the kiss, so she avoided her because of the aforementioned reason.

The greenette felt horrible for herself when she saw her date’s strange behavior. She contemplated if she should have kissed Lucina’s cheek like that. Strangely enough, she was originally going to put her lips on the swordswoman’s lips but instead found herself on Lucina’s cheek. Every time her woman looked and walked away from her, she became sad and a bit heartbroken. One time she called Lucina’s name and actually chased her for a moment to hopefully compromise about what happened on the mini-golf date. Unfortunately, her consequence was being shut by the bluenette’s door.

One more date left before vacation would end. Palutena ordered the dark angel to meet with her at the common area at noon in the mansion since Smashers were all outside socializing with each other. A round table for two people located at a corner of the common area was occupied by them.

“Well, Palutena,” Dark Pit informally introduced the conversation as he took a seat. “What made you decide to meet with me by yourself?”

“Good afternoon, Pittoo,” she replied in a better, more relaxing tone. “I just need someone to talk to… about Lucina.”

“Oh, I see,” he crossed her arms and smirked. “I’m the only person you can talk to about your girlfriend, right?”

“Please be rational with me,” Palutena sounded mature and serious with her discussion. “This is serious; I think Lucina is avoiding me.”

“Wait, you serious?” He became concerned by hearing those unexpected words from Palutena.

“Yes, this not a joke” the greenette’s expression was a mix of worried and seriousness.

“Why do you think Lucina is avoiding you?”

“If I tell you, I urge you to not disclose any of what I said to anyone, especially Pit” her eyes show how stressed she was with this situation.

“Fine, I won’t tell” the dark angel held his hand in an oath form to promise to not reveal anything about her and Lucina.

“Good,” she took the time to organize what she was going to say by glaring at the ceiling before speaking again. “You know that I went on another date with Lucina recently.”

“Yeah, so what of it? Did something happen?”

“Everything was fine: we had fun, we ate together, and we shared some connections. It was amazing… until the end of the date” the greenette, at this point had her hands tremble by the mere thought of the event. Dark Pit leaned his head closer to Palutena in order to distinctly hear her words. “Before I… said goodnight to her, I… leaned towards her face and… and… kissed her cheek.”

“What, is that all? What’s the big deal?”

“Pittoo!” She slapped the side of his head, upset that his response was careless and insensitive. “It’s a big deal, you dunce!”

“Geez, Lady Palutena,” he responded a bit angrily, rubbing the pain he received from his goddess. “Calm down, why is it a big deal to you?”

“It’s because… because,” she struggled to disclose her reason. “I can’t do this.”

“Hey,” he grabbed her arm, preventing Palutena from exiting the table. “It’s okay, you can talk about it to me, and I’ll do my best to help you.”

“Thank you, Pittoo,” the greenette finally spoke after silently musing about the black angel’s support for her. She sat right back down on her seat and took a deep breath before talking again.

“Again, why is this important to you?” Dark Pit slowly asked.

“The reason is that… that… I think I like her” all of the stress she had for restraining that truth alleviated completely.

“Like her, as in ‘like her’ like her?” His eyes were widened a bit surprisingly to hear his goddess say that to a mortal she’s dating.

“Yes, Pittoo, I like Lucina in that sense” she covered her face in shame, which confused Dark Pit.

“Are you scared or something? I mean, Lucina likes you that way, too. If she finds out that you feel the same way, wouldn’t that be beneficial to your relationship?”

“No, it’s not” her face revealed anger and sadness, concerning the dark angel.

“How come?”

“It’s like the other relationships I had,” Palutena reminisced about her past romantic relationships with other male and female deities. The more she thought about them, the more she realized how much she deceived Lucina. “Oh, no.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I remember telling Lucina that I haven’t dated many people here in Smash.”

“But you did tell her about your other relationships with other gods and goddesses, right?”

Palutena gave a negative expression.

“Oh, crap, please tell me you’re kidding” Dark Pit hoped it wasn’t true.

“Sadly, it is not.”

“Why would you do that? Don’t you know it’ll hurt her to know that you lied to her?!” He sounded very serious, which Palutena didn’t expect to hear from him.

“I didn’t want her feel like she should live up to expectations from this relationship with me” she justified her action. “I don’t want her to feel like an unworthy being.”

“Well, you have to tell her eventually. She’ll find out soon, so you got to confront her physically.”

“I know, thank you, Pittoo for helping me get through this” she hugged Dark Pit who was fine with the embrace. _How will Lucina feel if she knew that I dated seven other people before her?_

“Come on let’s get out of this place. I’m bored as hell” he said impatiently.

“You can go ahead. I’ll be fine here” Palutena said as she got up from her chair. “You should hang out with Robin.”

“Hey, don’t turn this romance on me” he demanded without looking at the greenette. “Hmmph, I’m out of here.”

Dark Pit left, and Palutena decided to think about what she needed to say to Lucina about a lie she told her.

The time had come for all Super Smash Brothers fighters to arrive at a conference that Master Hand scheduled and advised his invitees to mandatorily attend. It was located just below his workplace. The large room was not like any conferences that many people would expect: organized, adjacent seats where people had to scooch over to sit at their designated destination. There were not assigned seats for anyone as the chairs were unbelievably comfortable with the reasonable amount of spacing that they can control over. Once everyone was accounted for, they had to wait for the floating right hand to arrive as he needed to make last-minute checks.

Lucina sat down next to Robin as they initiated a conversation to pass the time before the conference started. The tactician was told the entire story of the mini-golf date and was blown away by the end of it. She obviously acted way out-of-character as she exaggerated Lucina and Palutena making steps to become the perfect couple. The swordswoman, in response, felt awkward about it since she knew that no one was perfect and how she just wanted to be with Palutena because she makes her happy. However, when Lucina told Robin how she avoided her dating partner since then, she became rough on her.

“Lucy, dear, avoiding your woman makes things worse between you two” Robin argued.

“Robin, I’m afraid that Lady Palutena will say that it was a mistake, engender a conflict between us, and terminate the relationship completely” Lucina defended herself, appearing to overreact to things in the female tactician’s perspective.

“You’re overreacting and overanalyzing about things that haven’t happened yet” the tactician continued disagreeing. “Instead of focusing on the future too much, at least live in the present to experience living life to the fullest.”

“What if things do not harmonize?”

“Then learn from it and gain something positive because of that.”

“Thank you, Robin, but I really want to maintain my relationship with Lady Palutena, so nothing could be awkward frequently” she held her head down and closed her eyes.

“Be sincere, kind, and generous to her, and I promise that everything will be alright” Robin gently touched Lucina’s shoulder.

“Promise?” Lucina looked up with her blue eyes open.

“Promise, Lucy.”

Before anymore exchanging words to extend the conversation could happen, two floating hands arrived at a stage with a large screen behind them. Their expression couldn’t be analyzed by the Smashers, but some could barely see the behavior of Master Hand since he was always calm and stringent, however, his expression was nearly impossible to detect.

“Good afternoon, Super Smash Brothers competitors” he introduced as he floated forward by a few inches. “Thank you all for joining us in a conference for the new season for a new Super Smash tournament.”

“Now you all think it’s that board game Smash Tour, but that’s where you’re wrong Smashers” the crazy, left hand began with a more attention-getting method by disproving their alleged speculation. “We’re talking about something my awesome bro and I created. Call us the great originals, please.”

“Oh, Crazy, you never cease to amuse me with your peculiar behavior” Master Hand joked that was something very rare for anyone to witness. He quickly shifted his focus to the topic itself. “As you all are aware, I’ve announced that this tournament is called Smash Tour. Recently, I have been receiving complaints from Miis that the name of this tournament is misleading and damaging to their entertainment.”

“Those Miis are just adorable when they complain. Their expressions are absolutely identical” Crazy Hand added.

“Yes, yes, but anyways I decided to name this tournament, ‘Smash-thlon.’ Please, do not produce jokes towards me for making such a ridiculous name.” Luckily, most of the Smashers were mature enough to not laugh, not even a chuckle at the tournament name. They mostly care about the content of it.

“Master, tell them how the tournament works,” his brother asked.

“Please, do not pressure me rushing into things” Master Hand overreacted from his left hand’s demand.

“Someone’s feeling some angst today.”

“Continuing on,” the right floating hand said, completely ignoring Crazy Hand’s comment he just heard. “I would like to give warming welcomes to four fighters, three of whom are veterans while one is a newcomer. First, let’s bring out a young boy with PSI powers from the _Mother_ series and a newcomer from _Brawl,_ Lucas.”

The blond haired boy stood up and received applauses from everyone, especially Ness since he, too, was from that world. Lucas was a bit shy when he was being congratulated for returning to Smash as he had his right hand scratching his hair. “It’s good to be back, though. I really want to be strong.”

“Next two returning veterans, from the _Melee_ days, are here to strike back and seal the deal. Give it up for Mewtwo and Roy!”

A genetically man-made Pokémon and a red-haired swordsman stood up, feeling proud and content to return to the competition scene. Mewtwo had his paws crossed, eyes closed and head turned slightly to the left, not giving much care about the applause but more on the competition itself. Roy, on the other hand, was glad to see new faces, which meant more rivalry that will ascend.

“And now, another third-party fighter, coming from the _Street Fighter_ series, is a man with a karate-based fighting style plus some of his own unique arts. Here’s our new challenger, Ryu!”

The red-gloved man rose up and bowed down nobly as if it was a code to honor whenever he was announced. A glance over against fifty fighters gave him the motivation to win this tournament at all costs. Because he did not know anyone with the exception of Mega Man, he had a small feeling of being unknown and disrespected from them. It was only a small feeling, so it wasn’t escalating into something worse.

“Alright,” Master Hand gestured the four new fighters to sit down. “We can get started on the format of the tournament.” He presented a slideshow that he and his twitchy brother created with an introduction slide. “Obviously, I am Master Hand, the creator of Super Smash Brothers, while my partner and brother, Crazy Hand is as well. “Today, we will discuss how Smash-thlon will operate throughout its duration.” He clicked on the next slide on who were the participants. “And now, every single one of you is required to participate in this competition just as the previous tournament did. However, fans and critics would like a more Olympic-based game essentially for them to spectate. So, my brother and I decided to implement a pair-up system.”

The new rule of teaming up with another fighter took many Smashers by surprise since tournaments in the past have only been single-versus matches. There weren’t necessarily complaints or dissonant responses from the Smashers; instead, they were becoming interested and fascinated by this new regulation, especially if it was partnering up someone who one had bonded either as best friends or lovers.

“Here’s how this will work,” the right hand went on to the next slide. “This pair-up system will consist of two fighters representing as one team basis. You may ask if there’s an odd amount of people here, so there cannot be the perfect amount of teams. Well, there are sixty-six people fighters here according to my database and the view I’m seeing right now, so thirty-three teams will be the amount in the tournament. There will be multiple qualifying rounds, meaning that if you are not within the top half of the rankings in the first round, then you are out of the tournament. That leaves with sixteen teams left. The top eight in the second round will advance to the third round. In that round, the top four teams will move on the final round and compete for the title. Again, this is not clear since I haven’t explained what each round will contain. I shall now present them.” He slid to the next slide. “Round one will consist of the side games such as Target Blast, _all_ Multi-man battles without Rival Smash, and Home-Run contest. You and your partner will cooperate to accumulate as many points as you can. If you advance in the top sixteen, then you will compete in a Classic Mode challenge when competing in the second round. Top eight teams who have the most points advance to the third round. The third round is a timed battle where you and your partner will face all default fighters with two stocks on your person. The four teams with the fastest time will advance to a four-way team battle for the crown. Four stocks will be provided with no time-limit and no Smash Balls. The team that remains standing will be crowned as champions. Any questions?”

Soon the area was flooded with raised hands as they needed to ask about certain circumstances. Master Hand expected to see many hands be raised, so asking people about anything was a bit pointless. He pointed at Avatar who was one of the first ones to raise his hand.

“Greetings, Master Hand,” the male Robin introduced himself. “To start off, will there be any limited amount of trials before selecting one of our best results?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Each team will have four tries before finishing their entire trial for the first and second rounds. The third round will only be two, and the fourth round is self-explanatory.”

“What about in a case of a tie-breaker?”

“In the first and second round, it will be settled by the second-best result and so forth. If it remains tied, then the least amount of tries will end the tie-breaker or the least amount of stocks lost throughout Classic Mode.”

“What will be the difficulty level in Classic Mode?”

“It will be at level 8, so it will be a chaotic and entertaining match.”

“What if, in the second round and third round, teams fail to complete the challenge?”

“It depends on if a few fail while the rest succeed, then they will not get another chance, they will be eliminated. If so many teams fail, then it is decided on how far did you go, how many fighters did you defeated, and the total amount of points you accumulated before losing all of your stocks.”

“For Home-Run Contests, is it cooperation or individual runs combined together?”

“It will consist of both.”

“One final question, is the teammate of ours based on random or choice?”

“Initially, I wanted to be random, but I feel that if you guys made your own team, then it will be more fun since the chemistry is greater and thus a more exciting competition to spectate. In conclusion, the teammate of yours will be chosen through your discretion. Once you found a partner, you are to report it to me at my office. With Crazy Hand’s suggestion, please bring in a team name if you have one, or my brother will make one of you. Any more questions?”

No one else raised their hand since Avatar got the major questions answered. He sat down and acted nonchalantly even though he knew what questions everyone was going to ask.

“Well, you guys have until Sunday to register for the tournament with the person of your choice as your teammate and a possible team name. Thank you for arriving for this important meeting and enjoy the rest of your vacation.”

The whole roster disbanded and exited the room, each one already contemplating about who was going to be their partner. Some immediately knew who to ask. Falco wanted to ask Robin to pair up; Mario easily selected his younger brother as his partner, and Lucina wanted Palutena to be her partner for this upcoming tournament.

Right now the swordswoman’s problem was talking about the surprise kiss from a week ago. She mused about it for days and felt ambivalent towards it. For starters, she was glad that the kiss happened yet felt off by it. It may be because this was the first time she had ever dated someone of the same sex as her and developed strong feelings for her more than anyone else in her life. Confusion was controlling her mind, and she despised that. She knew that she had to settle what was on her mind to Palutena.

But when she discovered about her goddess’s past, it put a conflicting strain between them.

“You had previous relationships with other deities before me?” Lucina asked in a shocking and upsetting tone. “I thought you told me you rarely dated anyone.”

“I actually said I didn’t date anyone here in Super Smash Brothers” Palutena corrected the bluenette’s statement.

“I can’t believe what I am hearing right now” her expression revealed denial and anger.

“I was planning to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t, or you _wouldn’t?_ ”

“I couldn’t because I didn’t want you to feel bad about yourself.”

“I am already feeling horrendous with the things you are mentioning currently.”

“Lucina, dear,” the goddess tried to touch the bluenette’s shoulder to calm her down. “Please don’t be mad at me for lying to you.”

“How cannot I be livid by your deceiving schemes?!” Her eyes were fuming with rage.

“I’m… so sorry, Lucina. Can you forgive me at least?”

“I… don’t even know anymore” she turned around, facing away from her goddess. Lucina closed her eyes and tilted her head downwards in disappointment for Palutena. “I just need to be alone for a while, away from you.”

“Lucina” the greenette extended her right arm to catch the swordswoman’s arm but failed. Seeing her leave made her feel worse for herself. She wished she shouldn’t have lied, somewhat, to Lucina during the date in the mansion. Palutena closed her eyes and took a deep breath to ease up her stress.

“Lady Palutena,” a familiar voice that she recognized was her heroic angel as he bowed down behind her. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes, Pit,” she gave in without even considering lying after what happened with Lucina. “There’s a problem that I have.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Lady Palutena, you can tell me what’s wrong. I’m here to help whenever.”

Her first response was a tight hug that caught the white angel by surprise. “Thank you, Pit, for staying by my side. I don’t what to do without you.”

“I don’t want you to feel like this at all” he patted his goddess’s back.

“Of course” she tried to smile, hiding the sadness behind it. “Pit, before I tell you my problem, please be considerate with it, understood?”

“You don’t have to say that,” he replied, knowing what was going on. He seemed much more stable than he was. “You were arguing with Lucina right?”

“Oh,” she responded with such surprise since he never really got along with the bluenette. “Did you witness our argument?”

“I didn’t hear the whole thing, but from I saw, it looked devastating” his answer was completely different with what the greenette expected since he would lash out on why Palutena shouldn’t associate with Lucina. “Lady Palutena, you really care about your friendship with Lucina and seeing it deteriorate made me think about Pittoo and me. You can’t suffer like this when my friendship with Pittoo is getting better. You must fix everything with Lucina, Lady Palutena. You have to.”

Palutena had no words to say how happy she was to hear Pit’s change in attitude when he was talking about Lucina. She choked up her tears but didn’t actually let them run down on her face. Her next move was hugging her angel even tighter to a point where Pit was suffocating. Realizing she was hurting him, she released her hug and smiled. “Thank you for all of your help, Pit. I don’t know how to repay you for being considerate and having a better perspective on Lucina.”

“It’s alright, Lady Palutena” Pit simply smiled back after seeing his goddess feel much better than moments ago. “You deserve to be happy, and nothing will ever hurt you.”

“Pit, you are the best angel to ever exist in my life.”

“Heh,” he scratched his head and blushed from the compliment Palutena gave. “I know I am.”

Palutena giggled, making Pit chuckle as well as their relationship began to improve since Lucina’s accidental stabbing of Palutena. By the end, they walked together and returned to the mansion in order to rest up before returning to training season. Before they separated to their own paths, both had to ask about who will be the person they wanted to partner with.

“Pit, have you thought of someone to partner up for this tournament?” Palutena asked inquisitively.

“Originally, I wanted to ask you, Lady Palutena” he admitted. “But after seeing you and Lucina had your dispute, I think it’s better if you and Lucina team up, just to resolve things out.”

“Aw, Pit, you’re always too kind,” the greenette said happily. “You’re right; I actually want to partner with Lucina, so we can win this tournament together.”

“That’s awesome to hear!” He jumped excitingly.

“Thanks, but you haven’t answered my question fully.”

“Oh, well, Pittoo is my first choice so far. I think we’re getting along so well that he couldn’t possibly refuse my offer.”

“I can agree to that” Palutena stretched after agreeing with Pit’s answer. “I will now rest up at my room. See you later, Pit.”

“Rest well, Lady Palutena” Pit waved at his goddess as she did, too.

The goddess entered her room and laid on the sofa, staring at the ceiling to think for a moment. Many things were revolving around her head with Pit’s improved behavior towards Lucina, the Smash-thlon competition, and her bad conflict with the swordswoman. She needed to straighten everything in an organized manner and go through each one as much as she can.

“I hope Lucina doesn’t hate me now,” she said aloud to herself as she continued to stare at the ceiling. “Pit thinks Lucina and I have a friendship going on. Hah! We have something much more than that.”

A knock was heard softly on Lucina’s door. She expected Robin to be in front of her door since she was consistently checking up on the bluenette to make sure she was okay or wanted to hang out. Instead of the female tactician friend she knew and love, the person in front of her was Robin’s male counterpart.

“Ro-Robin?” Lucina replied in a question and addressed the male tactician his real name. “I didn’t anticipate your arrival.”

“No worries” he slightly smiled back before changing his expression to worried-ness. “I actually wanted to talk to you about Palutena.”

“There is nothing required to be said about her” she upsettingly responded, trying not to think about the goddess at all.

“Yeah, there is. My sister told me what happened about avoiding her and having your first argument with her.”

“What?!” Her eyes were enraged by her female tactician for disclosing something personal to someone else, especially if it was her ex-boyfriend. “I told her about my first fight with Lady Palutena, and no one should know about it. Why in the name of Naga would she say those things to you?!”

“I want to help. May I come in?”

“Fine” she mumbled after contemplating his offer for a moment.

Avatar walked inside Lucina’s abode, sitting on a sofa in order to feel comfortable. The swordswoman asked him if he wanted something to eat or drink, but the male Robin politely declined. He looked around the place to see how organized and tidy everything was before Lucina sat next to him in a way that it wasn’t too awkward.

“Robin, am I worthy of dating Lady Palutena?” Lucina’s expression revealed her vulnerable side and sadness since she had time to think about Palutena’s previous dating experiences.

“Yeah, Lucina, of course, you’re worthy dating Palutena. Anyone is lucky to be with you. Why do you ask?” The ex-boyfriend responded and asked supportively.

“It’s just that she only had romantic relationships with gods and goddesses before I came along-“

“Wait, she’s bisexual?”

“That is not relevant to what I am trying to say, Avatar” Lucina replied in an irritated tone and punched his shoulder.

“Sorry about that” he apologized, scratching the back of his hair sheepishly and not feeling the pain he received from the swordswoman.

“It’s quite alright” Lucina felt bad for being mean to him. I’m sorry for being harsh to you.”

“Please, continue. Don’t worry about being mean.”

“I feel like I won’t live up to the expectations that other male and female deities had with Lady Palutena, and also…” she paused to hold back the emotions she was feeling, just to not put pressure on the male tactician.

“Also what?” He asked curiously.

“I don’t know for sure if our relationship will last any longer.”

“How could you say that? It was just one argument?” Avatar debated against the bluenette.

“Remember what happened between us?” Lucina reminded him that their first argument led to multiple disputes that always encompassed the topic of the original argument. “This is just like that. Our first argument never ceased, leading our relationship into turmoil. I don’t want that to reoccur with Lady Palutena because I… deeply like her.”

“Deeply like her? As in ‘like her’ like her?”

“Yes, it is exactly what it means.”

“Lucina,” the male tactician touched his ex-girlfriend’s shoulder for comfort and support. “What’s past is the past. You can’t change that. You and Palutena will not end like how our relationship did because you have to learn from your negatives in order to make them positive. If you do, it’ll all turn out well. What you have now with Palutena is healthy and good, and I’m happy for you; I seriously mean that. She is not me, so make this relationship special by changing the future. It lies within.”

His words significantly influenced Lucina as she had more time contemplating with what he said to her for continuing and pursuing a long-term relationship with Palutena. The reminder of the future not being written and having her and her dating partner write it themselves had the biggest impact since it was one of the aspects of makes Lucina for who she is because she cared about the future. After a reasonable amount of time of debating against herself, Lucina finally reached a verdict on what to do with her goddess. First, she tightly hugged the male Robin for assisting her so much on her issue. He hugged back and brought out a warm smile as he felt like he was still Lucina’s lover even though their romance ended. The male tactician stood up and was heading out towards the door.

“Thank you, Lucina, for having me over,” he said as he made one more eye contact with the swordswoman’s eyes.

“No, thank you for resolving my issue with Lady Palutena” she responded. “I cannot thank you enough for all of your help.”

“Well, it’s what friends are for, right?”

“Indeed. I will see you some other time then” she waved a goodbye.

“Same here” he did the same as well before closing the door.

A short brief silence came across the room as Lucina non-stop grinning with the resolution of her problem with Palutena meant a more intimate and longer-lasting relationship. She had to find her first and then finally put an end to their dispute.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The vacation was coming to an end. Once all of it ended, the training portion of the season was to commence. Nearly every Smasher wanted their break to last a little longer, an extra or day would be nice. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen, and it was the deadline of choosing a partner and reporting it to Master Hand. The timeframe was extremely short and caused some to rush and find someone as quickly as they could. So far nearly three-fourths of the roster had confirmed their selection for the Smash-thlon such as Mario and Luigi, Peach and Rosalina, Bowser and his son, Marth and Roy, Ganondorf and King Dedede, and Pikachu and Charizard. Fox, in particular, wanted his teammate to be Falco for legitimate reasons, but the anthropomorphic bird sought to have Robin be his partner. The captain kept insisting him that she’ll deny him no matter what even though that wouldn’t convince him otherwise.

Robin woke up from a well-slept state, stretching her arms outwards and feeling refreshed to face the day. Looking at the time, it was early to mid-morning, around 9:30 to be precise. She changed to her black Plegian robe and headed towards the kitchen to get some breakfast. Inside the kitchen, she ran into a dark angel who was simply getting French toast and hash browns.

“Whoa, hey, what’s up, angel?” She greeted with a smile. “Morning, by the way.”

“Morning, Robin,” Dark Pit greeted back, grinning after seeing the female tactician’s warm smile. “Sleep well?”

“You know I did,” Robin humorously responded, causing the black angel to chuckle. “I feel good as new. Once I finish breakfast, I’m going to finish a book before the training session happens.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” agreed the doppelgänger. “I don’t want to train tomorrow though.”

“So do I, but at the same time, I’m excited for the new tournament. We get to pair up in twos and compete as a team. It’s something this place rarely does.”

“Very true,” he nodded his head. “So, did you ask someone to be your partner yet?”

“Yeah, I’m partnered up with my brother” she felt a little uneasy to say that because she thought Dark Pit would’ve asked her to be his partner instead. “What about you?” She proceeded with caution.

“I haven’t asked anyone, but I think it’s better to have my opposite self to be my partner.”

“That’s great, angel” Robin said enthusiastically. “You and Pit will be like best friends.”

“Heh, I guess so” he replied to match the female tactician’s humorous tone. Then he remembered another requirement about teaming up with someone else, which was creating a team name. “By the way, what’s your team name?”

“Well…” she held on to the latter of the word and paused as if she didn’t want to say it because it was embarrassing. “My brother and I are… the Robins.”

Dark Pit had burst out laughing from the name because it was like a hilarious word play. The team name matched both of their identification, which was why the black angel laughed. Robin anticipated the black angel’s response, so she went along by smiling and laughing with him.

“That’s seriously the name, The Robins?” He asked for confirmation, trying to hold in his laughter.

“My brother wanted us to be called ‘The Tacticians,’ but I actually thought ‘The Robins’ was better since we both have the same name,” she answered back, not feeling ashamed or embarrassed anymore. “We had conflicting opinions, so Crazy Hand ended up settling the tie-breaker, and you already know whose opinion he sided.”

“Yep,” he nodded, knowing that the left hand chose the female tactician’s opinion over the male tactician’s.

“Ooh, I know,” Robin snapped her fingers. Because she brought her team name into the conversation, she decided to make a name for Dark Pit and Pit if the two were partners. “You and Pit can have the name Pit One and Two.’”

“You’re so funny, Robin,” he complimented on her personality. “I like that.”

“Thank you, angel, it is one of my characteristics” she gestured to prove her point. “Come on, let’s eat before-“

“Hello, Robin,” a voice that Robin and Dark Pit recognized came behind them. It wasn’t good to hear as they saw an anthropomorphic bird enter through the doors. He walked in a way that made him look cool and tried to give an impression on the female tactician. “Your hair looks pretty today.”

“Thanks” she replied dully as her tone shifted into a more hateful and resentful attitude since Falco was present. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just getting food. Is that such a crime?” He joked in order to hopefully communicate Robin better.

“No shit, it’s not a crime. Whatever you want to ask me, just say it man” she was already getting impatient and irritated by his presence. Robin wanted to get this over with and spend her final vacation day without having to be accompanied by Falco.

“Oh, well, sorry for bothering you” he apologized in a vulnerable manner, just to get Robin to feel some guilt and sympathy for him.

“It’s not your fault” Robin felt a little bad that she came out too strong on him. His plan was going according to plan.

“Don’t worry; this will be quick” Falco smirked, preparing and expecting a good response from the female tactician.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Robin, be my partner for this upcoming Smash tournament” he sounded demanding in a way that a person was so intimidated by his tone that he or she just complied to someone’s demands.

“You want me to be your partner?” The female tactician reassured even though she didn’t want to team up with him.

“Yes, you and I will dominate and crush everyone in this tournament” he punched his right hand onto the center of his left palm in order to emphasize his point. “Now, Robin, accept my offer and come into my arms.” Falco extended his arms out, expecting the mage to run and hug him.

“See, here’s the thing,” Robin began her sentence in a way that signified a decline in the offer. “There’s no way I’m going to be paired up with you at all.”

“Come on, you don’t even have a partner” Falco whined, disbelieving what he was hearing.

“Oh, I do.”

“Is it that stupid black angel behind you?” He became a bit tense and aggravated by Dark Pit’s presence now that he noticed him.

“He isn’t my partner, my brother is” she cleared up her response, preventing Pittoo from stirring up a physical confrontation. “If there was anyone else besides him to choose from, then I definitely would have chosen Dark Pit over you.”

“Please reconsider your choice,” at this point Falco was practically begging, so unlike him to try that technique. “Do you really want to team up with someone whose moves are identical to yours? At least add some diversity on your team like me.”

“Nope, sorry, birdie” she put out a hand to silence and shut Falco up. “I went to Master Hand and officially registered for this tournament, so you’re too late.”

“Fine,” he growled before leaving the kitchen to vent out his anger on someone or something. “You’ll regret this.”

“Naga, he’s such a pain in the ass. He’s already getting on my nerves” Robin wanted to release her resentment towards Falco and felt so relieved by it just by saying it.

“Sorry that you have to put up with him. I know what that feels like” he cheered her up by touching her shoulder gently.

“Thanks, angel, and at least you’re here to have my back” Robin smiled at the dark angel and covered her shoulder that Dark Pit was touching, causing him to smile back. “Well, let’s eat before our food gets cold.”

“Yeah” was all he said before walking silently towards the dining hall. During that time, he contemplated the one thing Robin said to Falco that caught his attention: choosing him over Falco. Did that mean something? Did she inadvertently admit that she likes Dark Pit as just more than friends? He had no conclusion since it was all speculation, but for right now, he just wanted to talk to her as all.

Lucina exited out of her room, preparing to confront her dating partner in hopes of compromising their differences. She was nervous because of the way she angrily talked back at the greenette the other day and felt that Palutena wouldn’t accept her apology. Even with all of these aspects revolving around her mind and being over-reactive, the bluenette hoped that things would become better, and they can continue dating again. Her first guess was that the goddess was still at her room, so Lucina decided to take a shot at it. As she walked down the corridor, she ran into a masked swordsman who wanted to see her for some particular reason.

“Hello, fair princess, Lucina,” Meta Knight said with such formality and respect that he had one knee down to venerate the swordswoman in a noble manner. “How are you on this fine morning?”

“I am fine today” Lucina responded, acknowledging the Star Warrior’s reverent act. “What about you, Sir Meta Knight?”

“Currently, I am adequately calm, but I’m here to ask you something” he, at this point, was trembling a bit, but it was not very noticeable to detect. His fists were slightly tightened, wings contracted inwards, and eyes barely dilated.

“Please, proceed” the swordswoman was not aware of his odd behavior, not just because he was nervous. She focused more with the woman she was dating, which caused her to not detect the peculiar behavior Meta Knight was acting, but luckily, she was a good listener, so there wouldn’t be any awkward moments.

“Yes,” Meta Knight blinked as a way of calming down before speaking up. “I am proposing a request for you, princess Lucina, to become my partner for this upcoming tournament. Will you be my teammate?”

His question caught Lucina by surprise because she didn’t expect him to be his teammate. She assumed that it was the other way around where Smashers would have to request Meta Knight to be his or her teammate. He would only accept the offer if she or he was worthy enough. The bluenette made that speculation because of the Star Warrior’s unbelievable status in the _Brawl_ tournament. With this new situation, the swordswoman began pondering that of all fighters to choose from, he ended up choosing her. She had no explanation for it, but nevertheless Lucina still wanted Palutena to be on her team. “That was very unlikely and unexpected you, Sir Meta Knight, to request an offer to be partners with me.”

“I understand, but I must have a response” he said impatiently, hoping Lucina would accept his question.

“I do appreciate your offer,” Lucina began, hinting a decline in the request that the Star Warrior failed to catch. “But I’m going to decline it.”

“Are you paired up with someone already?” He asked in order to possibly reason and change her mind if everything fell into plan.

“I am paired up with Lady Palutena. I’m truly sorry for what’s happening to you now” Lucina felt guilty for declining Meta Knight’s request, but she had to do that because she really wanted to be with the goddess.

“Very well,” he sighed in disappointment. “I then wish you and Palutena the best of luck in this tournament.”

“Thank you, Sir Meta Knight, for understanding.”

“Is this because of that stabbing incident with her and how you want to make it up by developing a trusting friendship?” Meta Knight asked curiously.

“That is correct,” she replied even though that was not the reason at all. “I don’t want any conflicts to arise as all.”

“No one likes that,” Meta Knight felt like he shouldn’t stay any longer as the purpose of being here became pointless. He extended his right hand for a handshake. “I must be on my way. I shall see you some other time than, princess Lucina.”

“I will see you as well, Sir Meta Knight” the bluenette kneed on one leg and shook the Star Warrior’s hand.

Meta Knight glided away as Lucina walked the opposite direction of where he was going. She let out a huge, silent sigh of relief that the Star Warrior failed to detect the swordswoman’s lie although lying was not her best skill. At the same time, Lucina did feel sympathy for Meta Knight’s disappointing reaction. It appeared he really wanted Lucina to team up with him and seeing him walk away sad made the bluenette muse if she should revoke her response to him. Despite all of that, she still proceeded to her crush’s door.

“Lucina?” Palutena responded as she opened the door to see who arrived at her abode. Her eyes widened partially in shock because the bluenette came to her first. “Um… please come in.”

“Thank you,” Lucina awkwardly responded as she oddly walked inside and sat on a sofa.

“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” The goddess asked as she approached the kitchen.

“No, but thank you for asking” the princess looked away from the kitchen, feeling uneasy about confrontation with the goddess.

“Okay,” she then approached towards the sofa Lucina was sitting on and took a seat next to her. It was such an awkward moment as they just looked at each other and laughed uncomfortably because the last time they met, they had an argument. Neither woman had the courage to speak up and to even discuss about their fight despite both of them wanting to make a compromise. After ten minutes of total silence, Palutena decided to do something or else there wouldn’t be any progress made with her relationship with the bluenette. “Lucina, we need to talk about our fight.”

“Yes, we do” she finally responded, feeling a bit relieved that they were going to put an end to their conflict. “I’ll start first.”

“Oh, then, go ahead,” Palutena was fine either way.

“Lady Palutena,” she began, taking a short, deep breath before continuing on. “I’m sorry for overreacting about you disclosing your previous romantic encounters.”

“Oh, no, Lucina” the greenette disagreed as her tone matched her words meticulously. “I should be the one apologizing for lying to you. It’s wrong for me to do that to someone I’m dating.”

“I just wished you said that to me sooner” Lucina had her back on the sofa and looked at the ceiling. “Even if that did happen, I would still feel like I’m just not worthy to be with you.”

“See, that’s the reason why I didn’t want to tell you” she responded to Lucina’s answer without thinking much before speaking again. “Because I was worried that you’ll have to try hard to meet expectations for this relationship since I am a goddess, but I don’t want you to do that at all. I just want you to be yourself.”

“I do?”

“Yes, Lucina,” Palutena placed her hands on the swordswoman’s shoulders, causing Lucina’s body temperature to rise up. “Don’t try to be like other gods and goddess that I’ve dated before. I know you’re a mortal, but I want to know you for you.”

“Sometimes, I had this thought that we’re incompatible with each other” her confession surprised the greenette who felt excruciating pain from hearing those words that apparently can be put together in a sentence.

“There’s nothing wrong with us dating” Palutena was a little aggressive because she didn’t like hearing what Lucina was saying.

“What if people think that our relationship makes no sense at all? You are a divine being, and I’m just a mortal and a human being. That’s probably why they think of that because our statuses are different from each other and they want people to date people within their own social group.”

“That’s all false” the goddess completely disagreed as the idea contradicted her opinion towards her romantic relationship with Lucina. “They only care about the status of us instead of seeing that we like each other for each other as a person. They are all incompetent to understand relationships. You and I _are_ compatible because we have some connections like having that special someone who’s always has your back and how we both want to rid evil. Even though we have different personalities, it’s good to know someone different from you in many ways, so that we can learn more about each other. Please, understand everything I’ve said, Lucina.”

She certainly had a point. Lucina didn’t have much to argue back since it was dumb to do so. “Yes, I understand, Lady Palutena. Thank you for being sincere with me.”

“Anytime” the goddess smiled since everything was all back to normal. Or so she thought.

“Lady Palutena,” the greenette had her eyes focused on Lucina. “Why did you keep your relationships with other deities hidden away from me?”

“Oh, well,” she apparently was unprepared to answer back the one question she hoped that wouldn’t be asked. “It’s very hard to say.”

“You don’t have to answer back if it bothers you” Lucina was being a good “dating partner” by not letting her woman reveal something she wasn’t ready to disclose.

“No, no, I have to because not telling you about this was already bad enough” Palutena took some time to breathe in and out before revealing why she was afraid of this relationship.

“Understood” Lucina just hoped that her crush’s reason was less disturbing than she envisioned.

“Remember when I kissed you on the cheek?” The greenette began the story that made Lucina smile and blush from the mere thought of it.

“Of course I remember it” she responded as if the question was ridiculous to ask. Then her expression transitioned into concern. “Does it bother you?”

“In a way” Palutena gestured that it was both yes and no. “But it was what happened afterwards. You started to avoid me, which scared me so much.”

“I avoided you because I thought you were going to think it was a mistake and engender a conflict between us” Lucina explained her actions, surprised to hear that the greenette was afraid of their relationship.

“Lucina, why would you assume that?”

“It’s because I have no experience or knowledge when two women start dating” the bluenette was a little embarrassed to hear her own words come out like that, hoping her goddess would be mature about it.

“There’s nothing wrong with two women dating; I understand what you feel because I’ve been there before.”

“What happened?”

“I initiated the move by kissing on the cheek” Palutena paused for a moment as the memories of her past began crawling up back to her and penetrated her emotions strongly. She was trying her best to refrain from crying. “Every time I do that, they always become distant and they refuse to talk to me. And when I do talk to them, they lash out that I was moving too fast and how it makes them look like fools every single time. Then they consistently try to stay away from me as much as they can. One, for example, is Zeus. When I kissed him on the cheek, he was angry that other angels and people saw it, questioning if Zeus is the mighty god that he is. He ended up avoiding me every time he sees me. The reason for all of this is that” she almost choked on her tears because the vivid memories were recurring, pounding the emotional wall until it shattered. “They think my kissing is an act of love, which to them is for only mortals. All of them thought their relationships with me are just for stronger connections to kill Hades and Medusa. That’s why when you did something similar like that, I was scared and sad that you did that because I feared that you were going to end up like them… leaving me alone to cry with no one to comfort with.”

“I… didn’t know you felt that way” she was so surprised to hear that Palutena become vulnerable and emotional. The bluenette, feeling guilty for hurting her goddess, hugged Palutena tightly to show how sorry she was. “I’m sorry for scaring you like that. I never had the intention to do so.”

“It’s okay, Lucina,” the greenette said calmly, wrapping her arms around the swordswoman firmly. “I’m just glad we settled this sooner.”

“Yes and there’s something else I want to ask” Lucina released her hug and prepared herself to ask the question she wanted to say since yesterday. She held both of the greenette’s hands and blushed by touching her soft skin. “Lady Palutena, will you be my partner for the new Super Smash tournament?”

“Of course, I will!” She exuberantly accepted and exclaimed as she went for another hug, but this time her momentum caused her to fall on top of Lucina while still on the sofa. A “plop” noise was produced after both women fell on the sofa even though they were sitting on it. Palutena hugged Lucina for a short moment before gazing at her complexion, admiring the swordswoman’s blush due to the unexpected action the goddess conducted. “Don’t blush, dear.”

“It’s something I can’t control” the bluenette defended herself, smiling at her crush.

“You’re so cute when you say those kinds of things sometimes.”

“Thanks for the compliment” was her response before trying to get up. “Shall we set our destination to Lord Master Hand’s office?”

“Gladly” Palutena tidied up some things before exiting the door with her woman.

Upon arriving at the creator’s office, two fighters came out of the Master Hand’s workplace, content that they were officially teammates. A blue hedgehog who happened to be the new champion of the Super Smash Brothers 4 tournament partnered up with a yellow, round fighter who mostly smiled the entire time. When they saw Palutena and Lucina, they had some time to stop and greet them.

“Hey, what’s up Palutena and Lucina” Sonic greeted the two women as he waved sideways to signal a hello.

“Hi, Sonic” the goddess greeted back first before looking at Pac-Man. “And hello to you, Pac-Man.”

Pac-Man waved his right hand, so that Palutena knew he understood her. He also gave a greeting to Lucina as well.

“Hello, mister Pac-Man are you paired up with the champion?” Lucina responded, acknowledging the blue hedgehog’s status and respecting that.

The yellow Smasher gave a wink and a thumb up as a way of confirming it. Due to the inability to speak, Lucina was not entirely accustomed to it. Palutena, on the other hand, was fine with it as long he was happy.

“Oh, Lucina,” the champion said, playfully being flattered by the bluenette’s noble personality. “You’re very kind. You can just call me Sonic.”

“Yes, Sonic the Hedgehog” it was close enough for him anyways.

“So, are you two going to Master Hand to announce your team?” He went for a guess that was obvious to see.

“That is correct” Lucina confirmed.

“Well, good for you two, and the downside now is that Crazy Hand is there with him, so I suggest being careful.”

“Thank you for the notice, Sonic” Palutena said, thanking the hedgehog for helping them somewhat. “Where are you off to now?”

“Run around the entire Smash City’s perimeters about twenty times before eating some chili dogs then chilling for the rest of the day, just the usual vacation stuff” Sonic stretched his body as he answered back the goddess.

“Very nice, and you, Pac-Man?”

“I’m just going to call my wife and eat with Yoshi and Kirby later” he responded in the form of sign language, which all three learned proficiently.

“That’s great to hear. Well, we’ll catch to you two later then” the greenette said positively as she saw the two fighters exit through the elevator.

Palutena and Lucina knocked on the door, assuming that was what people were supposed to do when visiting Master Hand for an appointment or some other reason. A calming and commanding voice told the two women to come in, which they did. Inside the office had such large dimensions that could fit over half of the current Smash roster. With the right and left floating hands together, the space capacity of the room was still wide enough for the two women to breathe normally and to stretch their arms comfortably. Master Hand encouraged the two to sit in the chairs in front of his desk. They did so.

“I am assuming that you two will be paired up as a team” the right hand guessed even though he should have declared that statement more directly and firmly.

“Yes, Master Hand, Lucina and I are going to be partners for this upcoming Smash tournament” Palutena responded.

“Well, that’s some good news for you two” the left hand cheered loudly, moving his fingers that seem to not slow down at any rate.

“Let me just write this down” Master Hand grabbed a sheet of paper that had two columns with the left side having the longest measurement while the right side wasn’t. The paper was nearly full even before Palutena and Lucina were here. Earlier, it must have been a busy schedule for him. He wrote both women’s name slowly and precisely, so that the handwriting was perfectly aligned. “All I need is your team name.”

“Team name?” Lucina asked in confusion, completely forgetting that it was required due to Crazy Hand’s suggestion.

“Well, yeah, Lucina!” The left hand responded upsettingly but at the same time was just playing around. “We need to spice things up for the fans.”

“Oh,” she replied in negativity as hearing the word “fan” or “fans” brought up unspoken past memories. Lucina tried her best to suppress them in order to not bring the center of attention to her.

“Continuing on,” Master Hand interrupted as he began to lose his sanity but quickly regained his normal, mental state. “You two can create any name as long it does not offend or create any provocative responses from anyone.”

“It’s just that we have not contemplated about-“ was all the bluenette said before being interrupted by her woman.

“Palucina” the greenette spoke in a way that the swordswoman and the two floating hands faced her.

“Excuse me?” The right hand asked for confirmation since he didn’t listen the first time.

“Our team name will be Palucina” she sounded so confident that at this point she wasn’t scared about their relationship towards the public, which ironically she was indeed afraid.  The goddess couldn’t even tell anyone else besides Dark Pit. Palutena held Lucina’s hand to prove her point. “This is what our fellow Smashers and fans will address, if that’s Crazy Hand’s desire.”

“Yes, Lady Palutena and I will have the team name, Palucina” Lucina reassured in order for Master Hand to allow it.

“Um, I will accept it” the right hand responded awkwardly. “Now you two can go ahead and exit. That is all I need for today.” Master Hand said as he wrote down the team name next to their names.

The two women exited the building as the sounds of the inside could not be heard from outside.

“That sounded like they are a couple or something” Crazy Hand commented on the team name calmly, surprising his brother in the process.

“Don’t be so ridiculous” the brother responded in a negative tone. “They are incompatible in that sense.”

“I don’t know. The hand-holding got me there.”

“Let’s not focus on that subject. We must put our attention on scheduling the matches with all of these teams.”

“Gotcha, bro.”

“Lady Palutena,” Lucina spoke to her goddess as they were walking outside the office.

“What is it, Lucina? Something’s bothering you?” She sounded concerned. Both women stopped in front of the building and initiated a conversation that could not be spoken while walking.

“I just needed to know something. Why did you decide to go with Palucina as our team name?”

“It’s just way of combining our names together as one since we’re dating. Do you like it or not?”

“I... like it” the bluenette was a bit embarrassed to admit it but grinned by its meaning. “It’s a good team name that you came up with.”

“Thank you for being so nice” she smiled happily, causing Lucina to replicate her expression as well. “So, want to go spend the day in the city?”

“I would love that” the swordswoman always accepted the opportunity to spend time with her goddess. After all, she really liked being around her.

“Great, let’s go” she grabbed Lucina’s arm, and the two hung out at the city together.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

At long last the training session had begun. Fans just couldn’t be any more exuberant as another tournament has been placed for them to watch as their favorite fighters prepare for it. It was becoming so popular that those fans ended up watching Smashers train and interview each one every single day, acting like stalkers. It was okay for Smashers because they love their fans no matter what, even if some are die-hard fans or extremely condescending ones although they are cautious on them. In the beginning, the intensity of training was not very strenuous because everyone was returning to the competitive scene after losing some of their strengths during vacation. For the first few weeks, all fighters practiced their moves and other things like racking up damage on a sandbag and scoring well on Target Blast. Once they were used to the training cycle, Smashers then shifted into more rigorous and intense workouts that ended up giving them sores that persisted a couple of days.

When it came to practicing other events such as Target Blast, Home-Run, or Multi-Man Smash, it was occupied by certain people. Some competitive fighters like Samus and Diddy Kong prefer to train more on combat without giving much care with special events whereas other fighters like Ganondorf and the recent returning fighter Roy want to set a new record for the Home-Run Contest. The King of Darkness, even since the _Melee_ era, would do anything to protect his reputation as the Home-Run King. Ever since he saw the wielder of the Sword of Seals strike the sandbag with his Flare Blade, he developed and practiced numerous strategies for the furthest distance with extreme effort as his status was at stake. The sword-wielder from the Binding Blade was so glad to return to Smash because he missed meeting so many people, including the new ones from his own world. He became good friends with Ike and Robin (both male and female) as he studied their style of play. With Lucina, he had full support for her as she was still going through a rough time with the fans who criticize her. He was also friend with her, too. Veterans were all happy that Roy came back. He and Marth became a team in order to see if they still had that team power they had in _Melee_. They still did.

Lucina was dressed in her default battle attire, her armor consisting of a compression long-sleeve, a breast plate, metal guards located at different regions of her body, a strap covering her front in a diagonal position, and a holder to place her Parallel Falchion. She was getting ready to train with Palutena as she had been doing so for the majority training session. Exiting out and locking her door, the bluenette went to grab some breakfast, consuming a light meal in order to fully train for the Smash-thlon without any cramps. The good thing was that she saw her goddess sitting down at the table eating a healthy breakfast.

“Oh, Lucina, join me” the greenette happily said as she patted an empty chair next to her, signaling the bluenette to sit with her.

Lucina did so, and she ate her food as quickly as she could.

“Whoa, slow down there, Lucina,” Palutena warned as she barely finished half of her own meal. “Why are you in such a rush?”

“The Smash-thlon is right around the corner, and I do not want to fritter any valuable training time” the swordswoman responded, defending her own action.

“You have the entire day to training; there’s no reason for you to eat your meal so quickly” the goddess argued hopefully to convince her swordswoman to stay a little longer before actually training. “I know you want to train with me, and we will do so if you just relax and eat slower.”

“Is that a promise if I comply with your terms?”

“Of course,” Palutena smiled to show that she wasn’t upset at all.

“Alright then, I’ll spend some extra time here” Lucina gave in, consuming her food at a much gentler pace until her dating partner finished her meal.

“Good, I promise that we will train together.”

“You better.”

Once the two women finished their breakfast, Palutena suggested reviewing over their schedule for the Smash-thlon tournament in order to digest their food before taking care of business and watching some television for entertainment. Lucina couldn’t agree more when the goddess mentioned a topic pertaining to the tournament, so she encouraged the greenette to discuss it first. The first event they were going to do on the very first day of the tournament besides the opening ceremony was Multi-Man Smash, taking on only two matches, which were 10-man and 100-man Smash. Once they were finished with their four trials, their next set of matches was Three-Minute, Endless, and Cruel Smash that were going to last for three days since those require more physical exertion. It will definitely be tough for them to achieve a completion in the harder modes. As for entertainment, Palutena turned on to a channel where they watched a drama show. They only watched an episode because the duration was forty minutes plus twenty minutes of commercial breaks.

The first portion of training was Target Smash where both ladies practiced on dealing a certain amount of damage and then delivering a powerful Smash attack for the bomb to destroy as many targets as it could. Fortunately for Palutena and unfortunately for Lucina, no one was occupying it, so it was a good chance to utilize it.

“So, do you want to go first, Lucy?” Palutena asked her swordswoman.

“Yes, I will go first, just so we can get this over with and begin the real training as soon as possible” Lucina responded quite negatively, disliking the Target Blast training since, to her, it was pointless to train.

“Come on, it’s only for a few trials then we’re finished with that” the goddess added to make the bluenette feel more positive with the beginning of their training session. “Once we’re done with that, then it’s Home-Run Contest time.”

“Are you serious?” Lucina sounded disappointed and upset to hear that the type of training she wanted to do was going to take longer than expected.

“Think about it,” the goddess began to argue her woman. “If you don’t train in Target Blast and Home-Run Contest well, then you’ll get bad scores from them, giving you at a disadvantage in the early tournament round. Now, you don’t want that to happen, right?”

“No, I don’t” she reluctantly responded as Lucina closed her eyes, thinking about being eliminated too early in the tournament before opening them again. “We should proceed then.”

“Sorry for making you put up with this” Palutena felt bad for doing something the bluenette didn’t want to do, but then again she had to, otherwise, as a team, they would not have a chance at winning the tournament.

“There’s no need for an apology” the swordswoman placed a nice smile, showing her dating partner that she wasn’t upset too much. “I understand what you are trying to do.”

“Thanks for understanding,” the greenette said before moving herself aside for Lucina to walk onto the stage with a small bomb placed at the center. “After you.”

Lucina was covered with a layer of a protective shield in case if she failed to launch the bomb away. Once she was prepared, an invisible, weak wall was placed in front of the detonator. The timer was set and ready to count downwards once the bluenette contacted the bomb. Lucina ran right in front of it and thrust her Falchion upwards twice. Afterward, she executed her sword-dance partially, striking the bomb twice. She jumped over the explosive and was behind it. A short hop and a downward slash gave the bomb an additional damage. Lucina leaped over the bomb once more and performed an arc while in the air. Time was running out, so the bluenette charged up her powerful Smash attack. The detonator was sent away at a safe distance away from Lucina, and it exploded, causing only four red targets to be destroyed.

“Nice start,” Palutena clapped at Lucina for getting a good start.

“That was horrendous” Lucina negatively corrected her goddess. “There’s a wide gap between the targets closest to me and the targets furthest away from me.”

“Well, the ones furtherer away have more targets available, so you can just do it from there.”

“I suppose so. I’ll just do what I have to do” the larger bomb fell from the skies and landed on the center of the stage once again. Lucina repeated the same process as before, but this time she did it much faster, allowing her to have some more time to give additional damage to the bomb before sending it away with her vertical, semi-circular slash. The targets furthest away from the bluenette were nearly wiped out, rewarding many more points to Lucina.

“Now, it’s my turn,” the greenette stepped onto the stage as the swordswoman stepped down.

“Good luck” Lucina responded before watching the goddess most likely earn more points and destroy more targets than she had.

Unfortunately for her, Palutena did so. She barely did anything with the smaller bomb, and she let it explode in front of her. Worried at her safety, Lucina attempted to enter back onto the stage and to send the explosive away from her. However, the goddess grabbed her cape, preventing her from doing so. Once the bomb detonated, both women were protected from the explosion.

“Lucina, dear, you’re overreacting from this” the goddess pointed out the obvious.

“I’m sorry, Lady Palutena, I was just scared for your safety” Lucina defended her actions in a concerned tone.

“I’m glad for your concern, but you shouldn’t worry. All of this will protect us from any harm” she gestured to emphasize her point. “Now allow me to continue, please.”

“Yes, yes, please proceed” the bluenette bowed down to Palutena before exiting the stage in order to spectate. She was a bit skeptical about being completely protected from harm.

On the second try, Palutena only used her blue blade three times before releasing her ethereal wings. The bomb was just over the middle of the target parameter, and the result was astounding to Lucina because the majority of the targets were obliterated, giving the goddess a very high score.

“Wha- but, how was that even possible?” Lucina was flabbergasted by how Palutena barely did anything in order to get a high score. Her jaw dropped down and no matter how much she tried to refrain it from falling again, it couldn’t.

“It’s a little technique that I’ve learned while practicing this” her words were essentially an understatement because it was something not many people knew about.

“A little technique? It’s more of a huge secret to obtaining a high score!” Lucina exclaimed, still in shock to see the goddess’s technique work so well.

“Well, since it’s on stage 3, it’s pretty easy to do. The first and second, however, are different.”

“Would you teach those techniques to me?”

“Of course, I’ll teach you!”

It took some time before Lucina found the right methods for obtaining a high score on Target Blast. She was trying to incorporate so many move-sets before delivering a powerful Smash attack. Because she was doing so, the larger bomb always ended up breaking the invisible wall, ruining her chances of scoring well. Although her highest point was lower than Palutena’s, it was close enough for both of them to stay in the competition.

The next portion of training was the Home-Run Contest. This time they saw the people they love: Pit, Dark Pit, Robin, and Avatar competing and practicing on obtaining a good amount of distance of the sandbag. When they saw Palutena and Lucina coming, all four naturally smiled.  

“Well, look who decided to show up late,” Robin said in a form of a joke, just to get some laughs in with her arms crossed.

“Our apologies, we were busy practicing Target Blast” Lucina answered back, disregarding the humorous comment the female tactician made.

“Oh, so how did that go?” The male counterpart added, actually being interested in what the bluenette was doing.

“I’ll just point out that I have vastly improved on my scores,” the swordswoman said cautiously without disclosing Palutena’s secret on obtaining the highest score.

“That’s great to hear, Lucina” Avatar smiled in response to the bluenette’s satisfied result. “You and Palutena should join us in Home-Run contest.”

“Of course they’ll join us because they’re here, dude” the female mage interrupted, replying negatively because it was ridiculous to say something like that and punching his shoulder as well.

“Well, I’m just being a good friend as all” he answered back in the most calming way possible.

“Anyways,” a dark angel interrupted the tacticians by pushing them apart. “You two can join us in destroying the sandbag.”

“That would be great” Palutena responded before she and Lucina participated in the Home-Run Contest.

In the beginning, all six fighters took a turn in sending the sandbag the furthest. So far, Dark Pit and Robin were the leaders, and they were then turning the competition against each other. Avatar always developed a plan before making the first step. At times, he succeeded and failed, but he was satisfied with his score because earlier he made predictions on every Smasher on how much distance they will get when they smash the sandbag. Pit’s distance was not better than his doppelgänger’s distance, but the white angel was close enough. Palutena, after trial and error, had found the right strategy in reaching the 4000 ft. mark. It was simple but difficult to pull off as she had to land on her feet milliseconds before the timer ran out. Lucina, on the other hand, struggled to reach the goal distance her goddess wanted to achieve. After spending a considerable amount of time, the bluenette decided to take a break and grab something small to eat.   

“Hey, Luci, enjoying training so far?” Robin asked as she sat next to the swordswoman. She took a drink from her water bottle after swinging the sandbag far so many times.

“It is not what I anticipated, but I can pass it as acceptable” the bluenette responded neutrally.

“At least you’re having a good time with Pali, right?”

“Pali? Is that her nickname now?” Lucina put a smile as she actually like hearing her goddess have a nickname.

“You can thank me for giving your girlfriend a great nickname” she maintained a smile but tried not to chuckle from her own humor.

“For the last time, Lady Palutena is not my girlfriend” the swordswoman denied Robin’s claim embarrassingly as she blushed by the mere thought of it. “We are just dating, nothing else more!”

“Well, I beg to differ” Robin disagreed. “You two have been dating for a while and look happy together, so my guess is that you two are clearly girlfriends.”

“You have no proof in your argument.”

“You’re right,” her unexpected response shook Lucina, but she didn’t realize that it was a way to be tricked. “I mean you two haven’t kissed yet, so I guess you two aren’t a worthy of being girlfriends.”

“What did you say?” Lucina was surprised and angry to hear that her friend was challenging her relationship with the goddess.

“Did I upset your future?”

“Robin, why are you asserting that my relationship with Lady Palutena is terrible?”

“Relax, Luci, I was only boiling your blood” Lucina luckily understood that the female tactician was kidding but was a bit upset by it.

“Oh, that wasn’t hilarious at all” she snarled.

“Sorry, I get too excited when I get in the competitive mood” Robin defended herself.

“No wonder,” Lucina agreed. “You and Dark Pit are really getting along well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The female tactician responded quite coldly.

“Robin, it’s obvious that you two have such a strong bond. Both of you enjoy being together and have a great time together as well. It’s obvious to see.”

“So what? He’s just one of those guys who have that cool side I like” her reply did not detect any awkward tones or behavior. “At least he and I can relate.”

“What I’m trying to say is that do you like him as more than a friend?”

“Yeah, I like him” she admitted without any embarrassment shown on her face, pretending to be unaware of what Lucina meant. “As my best friend.”

“But am I not your best friend?”

“Of course, you’re my best friend, Lucy. Dark Pit is like a best friend, too, so no hard feelings.”

“I suppose so. We should get back to training soon.”

“Yeah” the female tactician almost forgot to ask about Palutena again, but she remembered quickly enough for her to talk about with the bluenette. “On a serious note, have you actually kissed her yet?”

“I haven’t done that with her, why do you ask?” Lucina was a little embarrassed to talk about it but went through with it.

“I was just curious as all. I think you have a chance of kissing her.”

With that, Lucina brought a warm smile and thought about what the tactician said. She really wanted to receive a kiss from her goddess because it had to be a rare experience to be kissed by a divine being. She quickly scraped the image on her head and returned to training.

After another hour into the Home-Run Contest training, everyone had improved their tactics in reaching far distances with the sandbag. It appeared that Dark Pit had the highest score out of the six fighters, giving him and his doppelgänger an early confidence booster for the Smash-thlon tournament. Pit had a score less than the black angel, but it wasn’t too much of a difference. Avatar and Robin strangely had identical scores despite the nature of their personalities being different: the male tactician was a more of a person who planned ahead of his game, acted defensively, and went for the offensive when a vulnerable spot was detected. The female tactician, on the other hand, preferred to go on the offensive first but thinks during her match. Palutena and Lucina’s scores both nearly surpassed the 4000 ft. mark. Hopefully, they’ll manage to achieve that feat when the tournament actually occurs.

The two women said their goodbyes to the four for today as both were prepared for their final portion of training, which Lucina was glad to finally have that happen. However, she was caught by surprise when Palutena led her into the fields behind the Smash Mansion.

“Umm… Lady Palutena,” Lucina asked her goddess inquisitively.

“You’re already wondering why I’m leading you here” The greenette read the swordswoman’s mind so easily.

“Yes, how come we are not in the training facility?”

“We’ve been training there so many times already, so I figured why not try something new.”

“I guess you have a point, but we’re not protected with anything and,” Lucina paused, trying to suppress the gruesome images of her Parallel Falchion penetrating through her woman’s stomach that happened a while back. “I don’t want to hurt you at all.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that” Palutena showed Lucina what appeared to two bracelets. On each one, there was a Smash icon that was can be pressed, which had some sort of function that the bluenette could not figure out. “As long we’re using these, we’ll be fine.”

“Are those bracelets?” The swordswoman was curious to know how they work.

“Yeah, I borrowed these from Peach and Samus since they don’t need them anymore. With these, we’ll be protected by a layer that’ll prevent any real pain that’ll happen to us” the goddess placed one on her right hand. “You should wear it, Lucina.”

The Ylissean princess took the other bracelet and wore it on her right wrist. It was quite comfortable to wear since it was adjustable. Then her amazement grew much bigger when she pressed the Smash icon because it covered Lucina in an invisible layer, surrounding her entire body.

“Now you’ll worry less about me” Palutena commented after seeing her swordswoman smile and being satisfied with the bracelet’s function.

“Is that supposed to tease me in any way?” Lucina asked while grinning, trying hard to not make that smile when attempting to play along with the goddess.

“A little” that was all Palutena had to respond to. “Let’s get right into training, shall we?”

“Please!”

Palutena activated her cloak of an invisible protective layer. After gripping on her staff firmly, she was ready whenever Lucina decided to attack. The swordswoman began running towards the greenette, only to leap over her and swing her Falchion in a downward-arc motion. Her attack was dodged by Palutena’s quick side-dodge. Palutena immediately retaliated by unleashing her ethereal wings on the swordswoman. Lucina was hit and flew back not very far. As she tried to get up, the greenette was already in front her and jabbed the princess with her staff. Palutena took a huge step back, predicting the bluenette to get up and get in a defensive position.

“How are you feeling, Lucina, honey?” The goddess asked with a smile.

“I’m feeling pretty off right now, but I’ll still overcome my obstacles” Lucina responded with such determination that she was in her battle stance with the Falchion right on her side.

“That’s something I like to hear. Show me what you can do.”

The swordswoman ran for a short moment and executed a series of sword dances, which didn’t have much effect because Palutena predicted such a read and countered the attack. While Lucina was vulnerable, the goddess managed to grab her and threw her backward. Palutena quickly knelt down and spun her staff above her herself, pushing Lucina upwards into the air. She then jumped over and smacked the bluenette with her blue, round shield. Afterward, the goddess flew towards Lucina and was ready to release her blue pillar of light. Lucina immediately went into her counter stance, but Palutena again read the play and kept charging it until it was at full power. It profoundly hurt Lucina, and she was sent upwards then fell down hard as a result. Luckily, she rushed back on to her feet, hoping to land a hit on Palutena.

“Super Speed” Palutena said as she flew quickly towards Lucina without a fast enough reaction for the swordswoman to attack. The greenette threw the bluenette downwards and spun her staff forward for another set of combos. She hopped in mid-air, twirled herself, and activated her halo. Then she jumped over Lucina and kicked her, meteor-smashing her towards the ground. All of this happened while in her Super Speed mode. She then went a bit cocky by using her ethereal wings to give the bluenette a hard time, but Lucina rolled behind her and grabbed her.

“You think I would let you win that easily?” Lucina called out as she threw her goddess downwards and short-hopped in order to swing her Falchion in an upward-arc motion. She jumped again to spin her sword and herself in a 360 degree for extra damage. Lucina then did an unexpected ending combo by sword-dancing, which caused Palutena to be confused by it. The fourth and final dance had her blade in a concave upwards position. While Palutena was recovering, Lucina swung her Falchion in a semi-circular arc, making the goddess receive more damage than expected.

“That was pretty good, Lucina” Palutena complimented her swordswoman for an excellent retaliation as she got up. “Your swordplay is the best every time I see it.”

“Thank you,” Lucina responded with a smile. “You caught me off guard with your Super Speed move. I didn’t anticipate your speed to be _that_ fast.”

“If you thought that was my fastest move, then you clearly haven’t seen the most devastating one.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see soon.”

Many hours have passed since then. Palutena’s most devastating move had not yet been shown, and Lucina wanted to know what move her goddess was talking about. She knew many of Palutena’s move-sets ever since her arrival to Smash, but there was one that she didn’t know. Because of that, Lucina became more curious on the unknown move-set power.

“Tired already,` Lucina?” Palutena asked the swordswoman who was breathing heavily and loudly.

“Are you kidding? I’m just getting started!” The bluenette replied humorously despite actually breathing hard and being exhausted from strenuous training with her goddess. “Show me your true power, Lady Palutena.”

“You asked for it” The goddess positioned herself in a way Lucina had never seen before. “Lightweight!”

Right after she activated her move, Palutena flew towards the swordswoman so fast that Lucina didn’t have time to react. The greenette grabbed the bluenette and executed a series of aerial combos that prevented Lucina from escaping. It was a down-throw, a shield attack, a meteor smash, a quick jab, ethereal wings, another down-throw, an aerial dropkick, multiple spins with her staff, another twirl ending with her halo shining, a quick recovery, then her angelic missile, followed by her celestial fireworks, another meteor smash, and finally ending with her ethereal wings. Her insane chain of combos occurred within the time limit of her Lightweight move. Since it was all used up, Palutena felt heavier and moved slower than before.

Lucina, with her strong persistence, barely recovered on her feet as she took a beating from her goddess. She was so surprised to see how incredibly fast Palutena was, which made her contemplate if the greenette’s Lightweight move was really powerful as she witnessed it. That mind was now out of the way as her goddess was vulnerable to attack. Lucina easily caught up to her and ducked down in order to jab her Falchion on Palutena’s legs. Her next move was throwing the greenette upwards, taking advantage of Palutena’s slow reaction time. Afterward, Lucina slashed her blade from the bottom of her side to above her head. Then she jumped at a short height and swung her sword downwards. Lucina grabbed Palutena again for a trick play, threw her forward, slashed forward while in the air, jumped immediately afterward, and finishing it with her swing her blade in a downward-arc motion, a meteor smash to be precise. To deliver a better finale, Lucina was charging up her forward Smash attack. As soon as she released her blade, Palutena side-dodged with such reflexes and unleashed her blue blade that came from the ground. It had sent Lucina backward instead, but when she got up, her protective layer disappeared, meaning that she had lost the match.

“That was a great match, Lady Palutena” Lucina congratulated Palutena for an intense and memorable spar. She extended her right hand in order to show good sportsmanship.

“Yeah, it was tough but fun at the same time” The goddess removed her invisible protective later and shook the bluenette’s hand.

“I never anticipated your Lightweight move to be enormously fast.”

“It’s one of the moves that I never showed anyone, but since this tournament allows me to use it, I’ll give some surprises for people.”

“They’ll never know what hit them.”

“Yep, just like this” Palutena tackled Lucina, causing both of them to fall down on the ground with the goddess on top of the swordswoman.

Usually, she would expect Lucina to get upset over something dumb, but that didn’t happen. Lucina just smiled, engendering Palutena to smile as well due to the unexpected response she was giving. In the end, both women simply laughed at the tackle because it was hilarious to them in some way. They had quality training time together, having them both act mature and serious for that time. In this case, they were having fun, just letting go of their stresses and nerves about the Smash-thlon tournament that was in two days. Once they finished laughing, which lasted only 30 seconds, Palutena then stared into Lucina’s eyes, something she never did before. It was there she was truly fascinated with her beauty.

“Lucina,” she began, combing Lucina’s long, blue hair that was covering her forehead. “You have such beautiful eyes, especially with the Mark of the Exalt on your left eye.”

“Oh, um, thanks” the bluenette was thrown off a bit by Palutena’s compliment and blushed by the touch of the goddess’s soft skin. “You, Lady Palutena, also have gorgeous hair. It really shines well with your eyes and person.”

“Aw, you’re too kind” Palutena playfully tapped Lucina’s shoulders, receiving a chuckle from her swordswoman. “You know, there’s something else I want to do besides seeing your eyes.”

“What else is there to see?”

Without the goddess saying anything and having her heart race at a fast pace, Palutena grabbed the bluenette’s wrists, pinned them on the ground, and softly pressed her lips on Lucina’s lips. Lucina was so surprised to see her goddess just kiss her like that, and she blushed because of it. Her eyes widened, as a result, also, but for a short amount of time. Soon she kissed back and closed her eyes to enjoy the moment she wanted in forever. The swordswoman did try to move her hands in order to wrap them around Palutena, but the greenette pinned them down even harder, making it impossible to do so. Lucina then moved her legs backward to a point where her feet were flat on the ground.

All of this time, Lucina expected Palutena’s kiss to be divine, a rare kiss from the gods where no one could ever describe what it felt like. However, she felt something much more than that: she felt a real kiss from a woman who deeply cared and loved about her. It wasn’t Palutena’s status as a goddess that made the kiss magical; it was how she was just being herself and showing her feelings towards the swordswoman. That kiss was the moment that ignited their future together.

Soon, Palutena had stopped kissing Lucina and lifted her head up, smiling at what just happened. A moment of silence breezed through the air as they had to organize in their minds what just happened. Once they did, neither woman decided to speak up first until someone did.

“You… kissed me” Lucina spoke up first, still sounding shocked after experiencing kissing Palutena.

“I know I did, and it was amazing” the goddess stroked and caressed her swordswoman’s hair once more, admiring her beauty again. “What do you think?”

“I don’t understand.”

“How’s the kiss?”

“It felt like I was kissing a woman, without considering the expectation of a divine being such as yourself.”

“That’s good to hear. You now understand this relationship, which will work between us”

“Of course,” Lucina made a long, loud yawn, being extremely exhausted after a day of strenuous training.

“Oh, Lucina, honey, are you tired?” The greenette asked in a motherly tone.

“After spending nearly the entire day of training, I am most certainly depleted of my energy.”

“Let me help” Palutena rolled over and laid on her back. She then had Lucina lay her head on the goddess’s chest in order to sleep comfortably.

“Thank you so much for letting me rest on you, Lady Palutena. I’m just so exhausted… so tired” The bluenette said softly as she had little energy to speak at a normal tone. She moved her body to the side where it was facing towards the greenette, placed her head on Palutena’s chest and closed her eyes to sleep.

“Anything for you, Lucina.” Palutena had her left arm around Lucina in order to rest with her. She then had this strange urge to tell the swordswoman something she felt inside after kissing her. “Lucina, I just want to say that I…” she saw Lucina fall asleep, so saying what she had to say was futile. Palutena said nothing else and closed her eyes to sleep, tilting her head towards the swordswoman.

Indeed, it was a beautiful and magical day for them. They deserved to rest together after everything that had happened to them.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The morning rose up like any normal day; the orange sun elevated through the light blue sky slowly, presenting a new day for anyone to embrace. Leaves were being blown away from branches by a breezy wind that surprisingly created a cool morning. As everyone was waking up from their sleep, so were Palutena and Lucina who happened to not be in their rooms for some strange reason. What could possibly be the reason for it?

“Good morning, Lucina,” the goddess said graciously to her swordswoman as Lucina opened her eyes, seeing that her head still rested on Palutena’s chest, and yawned by waking up. “Did you sleep well?”

“Morning, Lady Palutena,” Lucina responded with a smile. “I don’t recall a time where I slept on something beyond comfortable before. It was a magnificent sleep for me.”

“Aw, so you do like sleeping on my chest?” Palutena teased the bluenette in a way that Lucina didn’t even realize that she slept on her goddess. “I’m flattered.”

“Um, well,” the bluenette awkwardly responded as she unusually positioned herself away from the greenette after realizing that she slept on her crush’s chest and blushed because of it. “Yes, I do like sleeping on your… chest.”

“That’s very sweet of you even if you slept for ten hours.”

“Wait a minute, I slept for that long?” She sounded so stunned that she had done something like that. “B-but how?”

“Oh, yeah, after training all day yesterday, you were so exhausted that we ended up sleeping here for the night,” Palutena mostly summarized the events of yesterday, intentionally leaving out partial information since Lucina knew what followed afterwards.

“Wow,” was her first response after being amazed by what Palutena was saying. “I can’t believe we slumbered on nature.”

“I know, but we should get changed inside. My clothes are dirty from lying down for a long time.”

“Indeed,” Lucina sat up first and then stood up, cleaning herself up by straightening her armor and dusting off some dirt before lifting Palutena’s hand in order for her to get up as well. “My attire has some stains on it, so I have to wash it immediately.”

“Same for me,” the greenette observed her clothes the second time to inspect any odd colors. “I wonder if Pit’s worried about me since I’m not in my room.”

“He probably is, but it’ll be fine if he sees both us. I hope he doesn’t suspect anything,” Lucina began to worry and overthought the situation.

“Relax, honey,” she gently patted the swordswoman’s shoulder. “He thinks you’re trying to be friends with me after that incident, so let’s keep it that way.”

“Understood,” Lucina agreed before she and Palutena reached to the backdoors of the mansion. Moments before they entered inside, the goddess grabbed the swordswoman’s cape, turned her around, and stole a kiss from her lips, shocking Lucina as a result. “Whoa, why did you kiss me all of a sudden?”

“I just want to kiss you before we part ways for today,” Palutena answered back with a smile. “It isn’t a problem for you right?”

“Oh, no, I don’t mind at all. Thank you for being so nice,” the bluenette responded, having her face redden from the sudden kiss.

“Anything for you, Lucy.”

Inside, they saw that the common area wasn’t much occupied, but that didn’t really help much as a white angel was in their presence.

“Lady Palutena, there you are! I was worried about you because you weren’t at your chamber last night!” Pit said in a positive and concerned tone as he stood erect in front of his goddess.

“I do apologize for that, Pit,” Palutena responded sincerely before making up a reason instead of telling him what happened with Lucina. “I was so tired from training yesterday that I spent the night at the common area. Then I woke up early and went for a walk with Lucina, and here I am.”

“Oh, I guess that’s why you weren’t at your room then,” he just accepted her lie as gullible as he was. “At least you weren’t hurt or missing, otherwise I would have panicked.”

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want that.”

“Yeah. Oh, Lucina, I almost didn’t see you there. Hi!” He waved at the swordswoman contently.

“Hello, Pit, it’s a pleasure to see you,” Lucina waved her hand back, giving off a smile that was formed from her lips since Pit was nicer to her, which still surprised her. “How was your training yesterday?”

“It was pretty awesome training with Pittoo,” he answered at an indoor voice. “I think we’re doing well with everything. What about you?”

“My training with Lady Palutena was incredible,” the bluenette began naturally. “Training lasted enough to earn my satisfaction, but Lord Master Hand advised all Smashers to rest today, which bothers me a little.”

“I mean everyone was training so hard yesterday, so he would have scheduled something like this,” Pit argued.

“Indeed,” Lucina agreed.

“So, you’re becoming friends with Lady Palutena right?” Pit asked after a short pause.

“Why… yes,” Lucina answered back after being confused with what Pit just said. Soon she suddenly realized that her goddess had something to do with it, so she had to go along with it. “Our friendship has gradually increased since the incident.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for being so harsh and over-reactive on you accidently hurting Lady Palutena,” he scratched the back of his head and felt extremely guilty just thinking about the horrific things he had done to the bluenette.

“Don’t apologize,” Lucina’s response surprised the white angel as she placed her hand on his shoulder. “It is normal for you to react in the way that you did because you care and love someone who’s been very special to you.”

“You’re right, Lucina, I do care and love Lady Palutena because she’s been with me through times of good and bad. But, I still think I should apologize for treating you so cruelly.”

“If you do insist on an apology, then I will gladly accept it,” Lucina could now breathe better now that she was becoming friends with Pit.

“That’s awesome! We’re friends now!”  Pit cheered excitingly as he jumped numerous times to display his feelings.

“I’m very content that you said that. I know we’ll hold a strong bond together.”

“That’s right! We should hang out today before the tournament tomorrow begi-” was all he said before he was interrupted.

“Geez, what’s with all the noise? I just woke up man,” a voice Lucina recognized instantly as she turned her face towards the sound that was behind her.

“Robin,” Lucina greeted by addressing her friend’s presence. “Good morning.”

“Yeah, morning,” she grumbled, massaging her shoulders from the strenuous training yesterday while holding her hot cup of caffeinated coffee.

“Are you okay?” The bluenette questioned Robin, feeling concerned for the mage’s condition.

“It’s just that I’ve been exercising so much yesterday that I feel like I’m dead,” she took a sip from her cup of coffee in order to stay awake for today. “By the way, where’s angel?”

“Angel? Well, Pit is here,” Palutena misinterpreted the tactician’s question.

“Is there something you need, Robin?” Pit asked nicely after his goddess mentioned him.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Robin sheepishly responded. “I was referring to Dark Pit. Sorry if I offended you, Pit.”

“Nah, that’s fine. It’s cute that you call him that,” the white angel answered back in an amusing tone since he knew that she was Dark Pit’s crush.

“I mean,” the female tactician began with a slight awkwardness in her voice. “It’s his nickname I made up and he happens to like it, so I don’t see anything wrong here.”

“I’m just saying that you hang out with him a lot, even though he is not your teammate.”

“True, but that doesn’t prevent us from hanging out.”

“I suppose so.”

“I got an idea,” Palutena added in the conversation by surprise. “Why don’t we all spend our rest day together just Pit, you, Lucy, Pittoo, and Avatar? It’ll be a great time for us to bond and strengthen our relationships.”

“That’s such a great idea, Lady Palutena!” Pit responded jovially, pumping his fists in the air and jumping upwards again. “Let me get Pittoo and we should be on our way.”

“Don’t rush things so quickly, Pit,” the goddess restrained the excited angel by gripping on his shoulders. “We need the approval of everyone else before we can proceed.”

“Sorry, Lady Palutena,” he apologized, calming his excitement down. “So, Robin and Lucina, will both of you hang out with us today?”

“I’m cool with it as long as I finish my coffee,” Robin deadpanned, taking another sip of her coffee. “What about you, Lucy, dear?”

“I would be delighted to socialize with everyone,” Lucina answered with a positive tone. She then thought of something else that she hid from everyone else because she didn’t want them to know the additional reason why she agreed to hang out with her friends. “ _Especially with Lady Palutena. Spending time with her just makes me happy. I hope no one else figures out about our kiss.”_

“Yes! I’m going to get Pittoo now!” Pit said as he was prepared to run to the dark angel’s room.

“Actually, let _me_ get him,” Robin interrupted. “He’ll like to hang out with everyone if I asked… just saying.”

“Okay then,” the white angel was fine with it, so he waited until the group was present and ready to head out.

Robin did so, and Dark Pit and Avatar agreed to hang out with Pit, Palutena, Robin, and Lucina. Once the entire group was ready and accounted for, the six Smashers departed to Smash City and had fun for the day.

Just an hour after entering into the city, the group had only looked around and bought things for tournament purposes or personal uses. While they were walking around, they ran into someone who happened to be Lucina’s father.

“Father,” Lucina greeted nobly as she bowed down first then hugged her father. “Hello, it’s so good to see you again.”

“Hello, my princess Lucina,” Chrom hugged his daughter back and smiled. “I see you are socializing with your new friends.”

“Yo, Chrom,” the female tactician humorously greeted the blue-haired swordsman after everyone else had done so. “How’s it going?”

“I’m doing very well, thanks for asking. So what’s with you guys being together today?” Lucina’s father wondered as he saw it as unusual.

“We’re just hanging out. You’re more welcome to join if you want,” Robin asked, not minding if Lucina’s father decided to spend his time with the group.

“You know since I don’t have much of a schedule today, I can devote my time with you all for the time being,” he smiled, anticipating many pleasant reactions from everyone else.

“Yes, thank you, father for spending time with everyone and me as well,” Lucina said with excitement because it was quite some time since she spent time with her father. Now that she thought of it, ever since her arrival, she rarely had the time to be with her father due to their conflicting schedules with calendars that outlined days of training and tournament matches, which made them top priorities for Lucina.

“Of course, my princess,” Chrom again embraced his daughter once more before releasing his hug. “So, are you all hungry? I’ll pay for everything, my treat.”

“You don’t have to do that, Chrom,” Avatar spoke, thinking his best friend was being too generous. “We’re capable of paying our own things.”

“I just want to show you my thanks for putting effort into your attempt to bring me into this world. I should at least return-“ he was halted by two young kids who had paper and pen grasped on their hands.

“It’s the Super Smasher Brothers fighters,” a little girl exclaimed cheerfully, exuberant to see her favorite fighters be in front of her. “C-can I have all of your autographs?”

It was quite astonishing to see children want to get signatures from the most famous people in Smash. Some were delighted to do so, and some were absolutely stunned, giving off extreme reactions.

“Of course, you can,” Palutena replied kindly as she took the girl’s notepad and signed her signature with a little smile written on the side to reveal her emotions through the paper.

Soon the goddess and the rest of the group signed their names on the little girl and boy’s notepad. It was this kind of thing that the Smashers loved about fans: they just admire and venerate the fighters where the Smashers feel much better about themselves. Instead of arguing who was the best and who was just the worst, it was simply being glad to see someone who was chosen to be a Super Smash Brother fighter. A smile on the Smashers’ faces proved it, otherwise.

Lucina was usually hesitant and pessimistic with people who want her autograph since she still was emotionally hurt from the consistent criticism and hate of her inclusion into the Smash competition. Because of this, whenever someone wanted her autograph, the bluenette felt like it was out of pity rather than actually liking her for her. There would be no significance or value every time Lucina was asked to sign her name. However, in this case, a peculiar event had occurred that may have changed her view of the Smash world.

“Lucina?” The little girl stood in front of the swordswoman quite shyly.

“Yes, young girl?” Lucina responded nicely and cautiously as she placed her right knee on the ground.

“May I have your autograph please?” She sounded the friendliest towards the bluenette out of the entire six fighters. “You’re my favorite Smasher out of the entire roster.”

Her response just took a huge surprise blow to Lucina’s mind. The young child’s tone was truly honest and sincere due to her powerful smile. Never in all of her time in Smash had Lucina heard something that would positively compliment a fighter who received so much hate across the Smash world. For a moment, Lucina thought it was a dream, a fantasy for hers that would make her feel happy towards people. But that now became a reality.

“Y-you really feel that way, that I am your favorite fighter?” The swordswoman asked in order to confirm that she wasn’t delusional, having her eyes widened and pupils dilated from the girl’s statement.

“My mommy told me that I shouldn’t lie whenever I tell the truth,” was the little girl’s response.

Lucina almost had tears come out from her eyes. It was noticeable, and it blurred her vision. It didn’t necessarily escape from her eyes and travelled down her face. The swordswoman then wiped the water from her eyes and signed the little girl’s notepad, feeling absolutely touched with what was happening to her.

“Thank you so much, Lucina! I hope you win the tournament,” the child hugged the bluenette tightly.

“Thank you and I promise you that I will triumph in this tournament for you,” Lucina embraced the little girl with her hands wrapped around the child’s head like how a mother would hug her offspring with so much love and compassion.

“Promise?” She looked up.

“That is a promise from me to you,” the swordswoman and the little girl made a pinky swear in order fully fulfill the promise that they made.

Then the parents arrived and apologized for their kids to run off by themselves because they saw their favorite Smashers at a close proximity. Despite their worries, the Smashers didn’t mind one bit, so the parents were safe from any embarrassment. Once their children fulfilled their desires, the group continued on with their plan to eat lunch somewhere in town, a buffet would be ideal for them.

During that time, Lucina had never smiled so brightly before in her life. First, her magical kiss with Palutena was definitely one thing that made her beam with happiness, but experiencing a fan who really venerated and liked Lucina pushed it even more, better if not. It changed her way of seeing people in Smash world: from all cruel beings to some people who truly cared about her. Her behavior didn’t really catch the attention of everyone because they were just glad to see Lucina be emotionally positive throughout the day. However, Robin was the only one who noticed that the bluenette didn’t smile _that_ much, so she mused and assessed the reasons. So far, all she knew was that the little girl gave Lucina an influential impact about herself. The tactician also knew for a fact that there was another reason for why Chrom’s daughter became so content but had no profound progress.

By the end of the day, Robin did not mention nor discussed about Lucina’s odd behavior until the group returned to the mansion. Once Chrom and everyone else remarked their goodbyes and went to their rooms, Robin initiated her move by knocking on her friend’s door.

“Robin, is there something you need or help with anything?” Lucina opened the door and saw the female tactician, not expecting her to be in her presence at this time.

“There is something I need, but it’s more personal between us only. May I come in?” She asked in a nonsuspicious tone.

“Absolutely,” the swordswoman stepped aside and allowed the female mage to walk into her abode. “Would you like anything to drink, Robin?”

“Nah, I’m fine, thanks for asking,” the tactician declined politely, resting her elbows on a table while standing up and also seeing the swordswoman in the kitchen. “Okay, now it’s time to get serious.”

“What is it that you want to discuss about?” Lucina became inquisitive with what Robin was going to say.

“You haven’t been acting like yourself lately,” she began with a firm tone.

“I don’t quite comprehend with what you’re claiming,” Lucina responded bewilderingly because Robin’s words confused her somewhat.

“I’ve known you quite well enough to know that you never smiled that much at all. So tell me, Lucy, why are you excessively happy today?” The latter of her response made her look a bit harsh as she leaned her head closer to Lucina’s face, becoming more curious than she was just moments ago.

“If you want to know, then I will tell you,” the bluenette answered calmly despite being under pressure.

“Please,” Robin gestured her arms in a way that looked like she was begging for Lucina to explain.

“The little girl who asked me for an autograph said to me that I was her favorite Smasher out of the entire roster. I was so touched by her words because she gave me hope in this world. I found a lighter side towards people who I originally perceived as ruthless and dissolute.”

“Yeah,” the female tactician slowly began her response, displaying a negative tone. “I don’t buy it.”

“I beg your pardon?” The bluenette responded a bit upsettingly. “Did you not hear what I just said? It really did impact me. Why do you think I’m lying?”

“I never said you were lying,” Robin corrected her friend’s response. “I’m saying there’s more to that.”

“Explain to me then.”

“While I do believe the little girl story since I was there, that alone isn’t enough for you to be really content. Something’s off. There’s something else, something else that happened yesterday that is making you behave this way, but I can’t put my finger on it,” Robin scratched and played around with her hair with her right hand, trying so hard to solve Lucina’s strange behavior.

_Oh, no, is Robin onto me and Lady Palutena?_ Lucina thought to herself in a frantic tone as her pupils dilated and shoulders stiffened. “No, it was just the little girl, that’s all.”

“Hold on a minute,” the female tactician snapped her fingers, having an epiphany of some sort. “I just remembered that you trained with Palutena yesterday.”

“That is true,” the swordswoman maintained a neutral expression without trying to give any takeaways.

“Then that means something happened between you two. Tell me, Lucina! I must know!” At this point, Robin was getting inquisitive as she was extremely hyped up on the possible romantic intimacy. She had her palms against the table, making her arms extend at a straight position with her head hung a little lower than usual.

Lucina took a deep breath in order to calm her psyche and be prepared for Robin to react crazily. The more Lucina wanted to reveal the truth, the more she couldn’t say it. It was as if it was impossible for her to open her mouth and reveal the words about how she and Palutena shared a kiss. But, this time, it was much simpler than she anticipated.

“If I tell you, will you not disclose this to anyone at all?” The swordswoman asked in a serious manner. “Not even the male Robin.”

“You have my promise,” Robin reciprocated the same tone Lucina had. “Now, tell me!”

“Okay,” another deep breath came from Lucina once more as she was now more nervous than before about revealing what happened between her and the goddess. She was a bit irritated by the female tactician’s strange behavior, but that was part of her character in a way. “Lady Palutena and I did train all day together yesterday. After our well-developed training, she tackled me towards the ground. We then laughed together because it was humorous, and she complimented how my eyes were crystallized with beauty. I complimented back. Then, we… ended up kissing. I mean, Lady Palutena kissed me, and I kissed her back.”

Robin widened her eyes but froze like a stone in response to hearing what her friend said. Lucina waved her hand across the tactician’s face but to nothing happened. It was like she was some inanimate object that talking to it was merely pointless.

“Robin?” Lucina said to her friend in a concerning tone. Still, there wasn’t a response. “Are you-“

“AAAHHH!!” She shrieked that was nearly tantamount to princess Peach’s. Her strident scream engendered Lucina to flinch. “Oh my Naga, please tell me you’re telling me the truth!”

“I am. Why do you-“ again, Lucina was interrupted by Robin.

“Lucy,” she punched Lucina playfully, showing that she was happy for her friend. “You kissed her.”

“Yes, I said that.”

“You kissed her,” it was suddenly beginning to feel creepy for the blue-haired princess because the volume of Robin’s voice was gradually becoming louder.

“Um, Robin?”

“You kissed her?!”

“Robin!” Lucina yelled.

“YOU KISSED HER?!”

“Yes, I kissed her! And she kissed me! What’s wrong with you?!”

“Sorry, it’s just that I’m so happy for you, Lucy,” Robin began feeling emotional based on the watery eyes she had.

“Robin, are you crying?” Lucina asked in concern.

“Yeah, but not out of sadness, but out of happiness. Lucy,” she had both her hands on the swordswoman’s shoulders. “I’m so glad that you’ve found someone special because I’ve never seen you feel so rejuvenated with light. Ever since Palutena came into your life, you’ve become a much better person than the Lucina I knew. You were once an isolated, oblivious, and serious princess who now found people who care about you. Now you’re this compassionate, considerate, and noble woman who never lets anything bring her down as long as the people that you love are there with you, physically and spritually.”

“Robin,” Lucina hugged her tactician firmly. “That was well said. You’re so supportive of me. I wouldn’t know what I would have become had I not met Lady Palutena.”

“You wouldn’t be yourself now that your girlfriend kissed you,” Robin smirked, returning to her normal personality once more.

“I like the sound of that,” Lucina smiled after thinking about the word “girlfriend” since she was now more lenient and open towards it after kissing her woman. “But will Lady Palutena think so, too?”

“Um, yeah,” she teased. “She freakin’ kissed you, Lucy, and had no regrets about it, so obviously you two are a couple. I support you two all the way no matter what.”

“You’re right, Robin. Thank you,” the bluenette once again hugged her tactician. “Well, the tournament is tomorrow, so I have to be well rested.”

“Hell, yeah, I have to sleep as well. So, goodnight, Lucy,” Robin walked towards the door, but before she opened and exited, she decided to have fun with her friend one last time. “I think I’m going talk to Palutena about our little conversation.”

“Don’t!” Lucina begged embarrassingly, stressing out already on the possible awkward encounter in the future.

“Kidding,” Robin chuckled as she placed her hands as if she was clean from having weapons on herself. “One of the few drawbacks of dating someone while a friend isn’t, I just had to, so goodnight,” she had exited Lucina’s room and closed the door.

“Sometimes, I just don’t understand that tactician,” Lucina admitted as she entered her bedroom and changed into her nightwear. “Why is she my friend again?”

She chuckled at her own humor before falling asleep, preparing for another tournament with her goddess that would change everything, including the future.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

At long last, the Smash-thlon tournament had finally arrived in the Smash world. After months of rigorous training by the fighters and the prevalence of its popularity, the excitement just blasted through the roof after storing all of that energy that was waiting to be released. Of course, every business, store, school, and every other facility planned to close early due to the many events scheduled to happen on the opening day. The first event was to commence at high noon. Once all teams had finished their agenda for that day, they were to be prepared for the opening ceremony at the largest stadium in Smash City that resembled an Olympic stadium with a track and field surrounding it. It was imperative for all teams to attend the ceremony because it was mandatory for every fan to acknowledge who was paired up with whom.

Lucina made sure she had a good sleep the night before the first event that she and Palutena were scheduled to compete in. She did so, and it was a good thing, otherwise, her first day in the competition would have been a disastrous one. Once the bluenette was dressed up in her armor, she headed towards the white room of the mansion, waiting for her goddess to arrive and heading towards the stage. While her schedule to fight in Multi-Man Smash was only an hour away, she still had to arrive early and just to confirm her arrival.

The least she could to pass the time was to talk to some people, but she would only talk about the competition itself rather than on a personal level. Luckily, the tacticians came in just in time to talk to her, preventing awkward moments.

“Hey, Lucy,” Robin sweetly greeted the swordswoman as she hugged Lucina, feeling satisfied and content about something. “You’re here early.”

“Hello, Robin,” Lucina welcomed back, embracing the female tactician. “Lord Master Hand advised every Smash fighter to arrive the white room at noon sharp.”

“True,” the female tactician simply said, shrugging her shoulders to enhance her statement.

“And Robin,” the swordswoman welcomed the male counterpart. “How are you today?”

“Hello, Lucina,” he welcomed back to his former lover. “Robin and I are almost ready to go and hit the sandbag.”

“Wait, why are you two here?” Lucina seemed bewildered by Avatar’s response. “Shouldn’t you two be at the Home-Run stadium?”

“Like you said, Master Hand wants all of us here because travelling there by foot would be a problem.”

“Explain.”

“Fans would act like paparazzi if we go there. Plus, we’ll get tired just by walking there,” the swordswoman was a bit convinced by his reason.

“By the way,” the female mage interrupted. “Where’s your girlfriend, Lucy?”

“Girlfriend?” Avatar reassured with confusion as his eyebrows furrowed.

“I don’t want to discuss that here,” the bluenette commanded, unsure to talk about someone she was dating in front of a man who was once her partner.

“No, it’s quite alright,” the male tactician contested. “Robin told me what happened with you and Palutena.”

“Robin!” Lucina punched the female counterpart upsettingly. “Why did you tell him that?!”

“Well, sorry,” Robin said sarcastically, wiping off the shoulder Lucina punched as if it was nothing. “He wanted to know and I trust him, so why not?”

“You’re such an irresponsible friend,” the swordswoman snarled.

“Ah, relax, Lucy,” the female mage flicked her hands downwards. “Your secret is still safe with me and no one knows, so don’t worry.”

“You better be right,” the bluenette harshly responded but not too cruel enough to offend Robin.

“So, Lucina, please inform me about Palutena. You must be happy with her,” Avatar sounded both supportive and uncomfortable, partially due to the fact that Lucina was his ex-girlfriend.

“Are you sure that you’re okay with it?” Lucina really didn’t want to talk about it, so she encouraged the male counterpart to avoid the topic. “I refuse to make you feel unhappy with this.”

“I’ve have accepted it and moved on with our terminated romantic relationship,” he spoke the truth and was ready to step into the acceptance stage. A genuine smile proved it otherwise.

“Understood,” Lucina sighed, still felt like not discussing about Palutena to the male Robin. “You are most likely aware that Lady Palutena and I are dating. She’s been so nice to me and finds me unique. She makes me feel like I do belong here and have people who care about me. Several dates later, we finally shared our first kiss. It was amazing because it felt like a woman passionately pressed her lips on mine, making every moment cherishing.”

“You must really love her then,” he immediately spoke out, just confirming that he had no chance of getting back with her.

“This is exactly why I don’t want to talk about this with you. You’re clearly unhappy with this, and it’s hurting you on the inside,” Lucina replied upsettingly, being worried about how the male tactician felt about the bluenette’s new relationship.

“I’m sorry, Lucina, but I just want to know. Besides, I’m seriously glad that you’re with her. If I wasn’t, I would be avoiding you and be hateful towards you and Palutena,” the male Robin smirked, gradually feeling better as he talked to Lucina.

“You do make a point,” Lucina agreed, turning her head sideways.

“Don’t worry about me too much, alright?” He had his hands on Lucina’s shoulders smiling. “Knowing me, I’m a very considerate person, especially towards you.”

“Understood.”

“So, tell me, you love her, am I right?” He asked again.

“I’m not certain. I mean, Lady Palutena is such an amazing woman, and I really do like her. But, I feel that we’re not at the point where we declare our love for each other,” the swordswoman replied with all honesty.

“Fair enough, you two have only dated for a few months, so take your time.”

“Thank you so much for understanding,” Lucina hugged the male tactician, knowing that everything was alright.

“Anytime.”

“Yo, my bro,” Robin unprofessionally called her male counterpart. “Master Hand is coming, so we got to get ready.”

“Well, good luck with your matches, Lucina. I’ll be supporting you,” male Robin had bid his farewell.

“Thank you and I’ll do the same to you,” the bluenette answered back. The Robins walked towards the teleportation pods and waited with other Smashers who were scheduled to compete in the Home-Run contest. Lucina saw the floating hand give some advisory tips to the fighters before transporting all of them to the stadium.

“I’m late,” Palutena entered the white room, panicking after oversleeping.

“Palutena, you are lucky that your match isn’t scheduled immediately,” Master Hand responded in a not very content tone. “I will let this through for today. Just try to no make this as a habit.”

“Yes, sir,” the greenette bowed down to fully answer nobly to the creator.

“Good, now I will supervise the Home-Run contest, so everyone else here shall remain in this room until your team name is called and your event is called. Farewell and have a great Smash-thlon,” with that the right hand disappeared from where he was standing.

“Lady Palutena, what happened to you?” Lucina asked worriedly.

“I overslept because of this tournament, and Pit woke me up and escorted me to here,” the goddess briefly explained her story.

“Where is Pit now?”

“He’s getting me some food and drinks right now.”

“Well, I’m just glad that you’re here,” Lucina admitted with a smile. “Both male and female Robin made their way to the Home-Run contest stadium.”

“That’s good to hear,” the greenette quickly responded. “So I guess we’re stuck here then.”

“Yeah, shall we warm up for our event?” Lucina asked as she was stretching her arms, expecting the goddess to say yes.

“How about something else… like this?” Palutena pulled Lucina close to her and planted a short, sweet kiss on the swordswoman’s lips. “Would you like that?”

“Um, yeah, I would like that,” Lucina replied, blushing from Palutena’s soft lips.

“Lady Palutena! What are you doing?!” Pit had witnessed his goddess kissing Lucina and dropped everything he intended to bring for Palutena. Now he was shocked and might be even upset about it. “Wha-wh-I don’t know what just happened!”

“Pit,” the goddess stuttered, feeling hopeless in responding to her angel’s shock. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“It’s certainly _is_ what it looks like!” He refuted angrily. “You kissed Lucina. I saw it!”

“Um…” Lucina saw her woman struggle to come up with a good response. After stammering hopelessly, Palutena sighed in defeat and had to disclose everything. “I can’t hide this any longer.”

“What do you mean?” The white angel asked curiously and felt anxious at the same time.

“Lucina and I… have been dating for a few months. She began talking to me after the stabbing incident, and when the party that you created for me ended, Lucina walked up to me and asked me out on a date and I accepted her request. Ever since then, she’s been so caring and understandable to me. We finally shared our first kiss days back, and I really like her, Pit. Please, understand with everything I’m saying and what Lucina and I have,” she explained with all of her heart, hoping that Pit would accept her new relationship with the swordswoman.

“I don’t know. I still need to think this through,” he placed his right hand on his head, confused and suffered some minor headaches from information that he wasn’t expecting to hear. “I need to go outside to clear my head. Sorry, Lady Palutena.”

“Pit,” the goddess quietly and sorrowfully said as she extended her arm, trying to reach and bring him back but alas nothing worked. “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have kissed you in public like that. I’m so stupid.”

“You didn’t know he came back all of a sudden,” Lucina defended her goddess. “Maybe he’s just contemplating on the unprecedented events that occurred to him without notice.”

“No, it’s happening,” Palutena sounded pessimistic and fearful towards herself.

“I don’t understand,” the bluenette seemed confused by the greenette’s sudden change in tone.

“Pit is going to not accept our relationship, then I won’t be able to date you anymore, then I failed another relationship again and will live life as a lonely goddess,” the greenete began to hyperventilate, grasping her green emerald hair due to her stress. “I… c-can’t lose you after failing so many other relationships. I just can’t.”

“You won’t,” the bluenette held her goddess’s hands affectionately, surprisingly being calm with her woman’s situation. “I’m not going to let you go.”

“Thanks, but I don’t feel good about this. Let’s just get this event over with.”

Fortunately, no one knew what the argument was about, so some stress was relieved for both women. Lucina didn’t say another word; she simply walked with Palutena and teleported to the Battlefield but it wasn’t necessarily the actual stage although it resembled meticulously like the stage itself. It acted as a waiting line since there was a sandbag for Palutena and Lucina to use to train before it was their turn. Currently, Captain Falcon and Shulk were trying to survive in Cruel Smash and attempt to get kills against the toughest and most gruesome Mii fighters. As the goddess watched the racer and the Homs fight for their lives, Lucina practiced her combat skills on a sandbag. Once Falcon and Shulk completed their trial, they were sent to the same Battlefield that Palutena and Lucina were standing on.

“Lucina, how’s it going?” the Homs greeted as she was the first person he saw, walking towards the swordswoman.

“Hello, Shulk, that was rough fight you had there with Captain Falcon,” the bluenette greeted back with a smile, observing the Homs’s Cruel Smash run.

“Yeah, but it’s our second trial, so we have two more to go,” he added to make his situation not as awful as it should be. “Good luck with your matches today, I know you’ll do well.”

“Because you foresaw it,” Lucina responded to amuse the Homs and his visionary powers.

Shulk simply chuckled as his partner and Lucina’s partner were fascinated by their interaction. From the goddess’s perspective, Palutena liked to see Lucina talk with other people to improve her social skills while Captain Falcon saw it in a different light.

“Shulk and Lucina seem pretty cute together, wouldn’t you say?” Captain Falcon said to Palutena.

“That’s just silly,” she disagreed, feeling cognitively dissonant by the racer’s assumption.

“Are you jealous or something?”

“I’m not jealous; I reasonably think Shulk and Lucina are merely good friends rather than what you’re speculating,” the greenette was actually jealous even though she shouldn’t be yet at the same time there were some men who have been interested in Lucina. “Besides, Shulk has a special woman back at his world.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged his shoulders as he laid down and took a break before fighting again. “I need to rest up before returning to the Battlefield. Those Miis are formidable, and I’m not letting myself get beat by them.”

“Good luck with that,” Palutena merely responded as the veteran closed his eyes and took some deep breathes to alleviate his stress. “Lucina, we’re next,” she said to the swordswoman to get her attention.

“Yes, Lady Palutena, I’ll be prepared in a moment,” Lucina responded, looking at her goddess before facing the Monado wielder. “Well, it’s good seeing you, Shulk and good luck with your tournament.”

“Same to you, Lucina,” the Homs replied by waving his right hand.

The two women entered into a vortex that Shulk and Captain Falcon used to enter into the preparing Battlefield stage. Right before they were actually in Battlefield, they were in a dark, blank space with two entrances that were designated for the two women. One had a golden double door that was suited for Palutena’s entry while the other contained a transparent circle that was designated for Lucina’s entry. The greenette and the bluenette were waiting for Master Hand to announce the next team to take on Multi-Man Smash.

“And now we’ll bring out our next team that will test how fast they can defeat 10 fighters. I present the newcomers, Palutena and Lucina, also known as team Palucina,” Master Hand announced in a booming voice with echoes that no one knew here it came from.

There were mixes of cheers and boos. Based on the reactions people had, many were fine with Palutena as they appreciate and venerate with a goddess whereas Lucina didn’t receive much positive feedback, looks like they still do not like Lucina due to her inclusion. As both women heard the reactions, they weren’t quite happy, especially Palutena who felt extremely bad for her swordswoman because she was trying to restrain herself from an emotional breakdown. Lucina’s expression appeared neutral but her eyes reveal something much different. It was pain, anguish. The greenette just wanted to make the bluenette feel better, somehow, someway. And she knew the right way to comfort her.

“Lucina,” Palutena spoke the swordswoman’s name as she walked up to her before the teleportation commenced.

“What is it Lady Palutena?” Lucina responded in concern, wondering what possible thing the goddess had to say or do that would be more important than their event. Without her knowledge, Palutena hugged Lucina very tightly, feeling not only safe and better but also warm due to her divine soft body. “Um, not to be inconsiderate and impertinent, why are you hugging me like this?”

“I feel bad that you’re suffering like this, and I can’t let you go through with this anymore,” Palutena said with all sincerity, holding Lucina like how a mother would hold her child with so much compassion and love. “You need support.”

“Thank you, but our event is about to commence, so we should get going.”

“You’re right, I shouldn’t waste any more time,” she stopped embracing the swordswoman and proceeded to her entrance door. Before she went inside, she looked at Lucina who also gazed back with a smile. “Best of luck, alright?”

“Definitely,” Lucina responded with such confidence and determination as if the weaker Lucina who felt pain from fans who jeered at her did not even exist at all. Her right hand tightly gripped onto her Falchion, preparing for what was to be an uneasy task.

The next thing Lucina saw was being at the bottom of the stage without standing on any of the three girders. She knew that her goddess was at the highest girder, which sorta meant that she would take on more Mii fighters, but that wasn’t the purpose of the 10-man Smash. It was really meant to see how fast someone or a team can kill 10 fighters.

“Ready?” Master Hand said as Palutena and Lucina were ready to take on the Mii fighters. “Go!”

Two brawlers, two swordfighters, and a gunner appeared and were scattered on the stage, making wherever location one was in an equal advantage regardless. Lucina took care of the ground area while Palutena handled above. The bluenette began by delivering her powerful semi-circle slash, sending two swordfighters too far to the right and killing them instantly while the goddess sent a mighty blue blade from the ground, finishing off the remaining three Miis. Four seconds in and five remaining to go, everything went well and were in favor for the two women as they could break the ten second barrier. The next four fighters were only gunners and brawlers while the fifth and final fighter did not appear. Lucina thrusted her blade upwards while Palutena grabbed one of the gunners and threw her upwards, instantly killing her. One gunner was left and Lucina quickly jumped and slashed forward. Then she jumped again and executed a downward arc swing while in the air, meteor smashing the gunner to his demise. Many surprised reactions came from the Smashers who couldn’t believe what they just saw, especially Marth since he was the one who discovered the set-up and execution.

“Did she just do that?” Roy said with such shock as his eyes were widened in amazement.

“I think so,” Marth answered back the redhead’s question even though it was meant to be rhetorical.

“Looks like she does take after you.”

“You can say that again.”

After the ninth fighter was eliminated, Palutena and Lucina were pumped up for the last Mii to show up. However, they didn’t realize that the final fighter was a humongous clone of Lucina, catching the attentions of the goddess and the swordswoman.

“Is that me?” The bluenette stood, exposed and vulnerable to attack as she was amazed by this new feature in Multi-Man Smash despite the feature’s first appearance in the third edition of Super Smash Brothers.

“How is that even possible?” The goddess reciprocated her woman’s tone and expression. As soon as she was distracted, time was frittering away quickly with one blink missing an eternity. “Crap, Lucina, we’re wasting time.”

“Then let’s finish it immediately!” Lucina shouted as she charged at her larger version of herself with her Falchion barely scrapping the ground. The massive Lucina kneed down and performed a low angle swing from the front and back, but the real Lucina countered the attack and sent the colossus flying away, dissipating from the stage, and ending the match clocking at fourteen seconds and forty-two milliseconds.

“Complete,” a booming voice belonging to the creator of Super Smash Brothers himself. Soon Lucina and Palutena returned to the white room, having mix feelings about their first trial.

“I think we did pretty well on our first trial,” Palutena reflected on her first trial optimistically.

“No, it isn’t,” Lucina disagreed, feeling more negative and pessimistic. “Because we were distracted by something unordinary, we ended up placing in a poor rank.”

“Well, don’t act like it’s the end of the world,” the greenette refuted with her tone being quite silly. “It’s only the first trial and we have three more, so we got plenty of chances left.”

“But if we do not have an adequate performance?”

“Then don’t worry about it, we’ll have other events to compensate for it. Not every team will do exactly well in every single event. I know for a fact that we all have ups and downs.”

“If you say so, then I will not give up until we fall down and hold our heads high,” Lucina felt even more motivated and exuberant after listening to her goddess’s speech.

“That’s the spirit,” Palutena leaned in and planted a short kiss on the swordswoman’s lips. Lucina blushed and smiled shyly despite receiving a good amount of kisses from her.

“What about Pit? He’s still upset about us,” the bluenette added, being uncertain if that was the right thing to say.

“Oh, yeah,” her tone shifted a bit towards unhappy. “I still don’t know if he still wants to talk to me or you. To tell you the truth, I’m a bit scared about the bad things that’ll happen between us.”

“Same for me,” the swordswoman agreed, reciprocating the tone Palutena had. “I don’t want to ruin what we have together.”

“Then let’s challenge our fate,” she covered Lucina’s hands together, smiling graciously and contently.

“We shall,” Lucina supported her woman’s statement, knowing that it was going to be alright.

An hour had passed and their second trial for 10-man Smash today was much more improved than the first one, considering that they knew what to expect and do. They shaved off a solid five seconds, breaking the ten second barrier that many teams needed to start off the competition well. At least Lucina was satisfied with the result, so there wasn’t any feeling of displeasure despite performing well. Another hour resting period flew away with an illusion of time going faster than usual. Their next event was the 100-man challenge, which tested how fast someone or a team could defeat all 100 Mii fighters. So far, Olimar and Alph had done two trials, both resulting impressive results that were under two minutes due to their purple pikmins that gave them more power and knockback against Mii fighters. By watching them, Palutena and Lucina studied team Pikmin’s event and got the gist of what to do and what not to do during the 100-man Smash.

As soon as team Pikmin completed their second trial for the 100-man Smash for today, Palutena and Lucina were next in line to compete in their second trial. For their first run, their time was just over two minutes, clocking at 2:01 minutes. It was still a good result, but that still failed to satisfy Lucina because she believed that she can do better, so by continuing to fight, the swordswoman would improve her performance and earn better rewards. They were in the same place as they were for their 10-man Smash before being transported to the Battlefield stage. Seconds before the two entered through their entrances, Palutena wanted to wish Lucina and herself the best of luck in the event, which the bluenette already acknowledged and appreciated. Palutena walked through the golden doors that were covered in glowing light while Lucina spun around on a transparent circle and took off her mask. Adrenaline was pumping through both women’s body despite the fact that the tournament had just started. It seemed normal for anyone to be nervous for competing in a brand new and competitive tournament. Fate will decide if Palutena and Lucina can shine in the 100-man Smash.

The match began with the goddess and the swordswoman standing at the same places they stood on for their 10-man Smash. Six Mii fighters spawned with equal numbers of brawlers, swordfighters, and gunners. As usual, Lucina chose to face the swordfighters since she preferred to prove her superiority in swordplay against swordfighters. Her first attack was a dancing blade with the inputs being middle, middle, down, middle. It surprisingly sent them far right of the stage. Another ability these Miis have was their high jumps. Fortunately for the goddess and the bluenette, that was their only way of recovering, which caused them to fall into their deaths. Meanwhile, Palutena used her blue blade, instantly killing the four programmed Miis upwards. She executed this miracle by dodging many attacks and leading those Miis into her trap.

Six down and ninety-four remaining, many more brawlers, gunners, and swordfighters appeared, dealing damages towards the two women intermittently. Luckily, Lucina and Palutena didn’t receive much damage in the beginning, otherwise that would have been detrimental to them. The greenette barely moved around and consistently used her strong attacks whether it was her ethereal wings or her blue blade. On the other hand, Chrom’s daughter tried to vary her attacks, ranging from strong attacks to throws in order to throw off the Mii fighters and become less predictable unlike her goddess.

At one point, the Mii fighters knew that Palutena was spamming her moves, so they turn that against her. Soon, the goddess was receiving massive amounts of damage that exceeded 100, bound to be eliminated. If she did, however, their trial sadly ceases without any reruns. When Lucina saw her woman struggle, she dealt her strongest slash against the one swordfighter she was facing and ran to help Palutena. First, she performed a fast sweeping upward diagonal swing, sending a few Miis back by a few feet. Then Lucina swung her Falchion in front of her body and then behind her, capturing three foes and sending them to their deaths. The last Mii then ran towards her for a flying kick, but Lucina easily anticipated her enemy’s move.

“So simple,” she arrogantly said as she sidestepped to dodge the attack and grabbed the Mii from behind. She threw him forward, which sent that fighter pretty far but not enough for a KO. As the Mii jumped extremely high, Lucina jumped and vertically slashed her opponent, finishing her battle with that fighter. She safely returned to the stage, glad to see that Palutena wasn’t hurt as much as she feared.

“Thanks for saving me,” Palutena smiled, grateful that she almost screwed Lucina and herself in their trial. “I nearly ruined our trial.”

“Just don’t consistently execute the same moves, Lady Palutena. It’s very stale and unlikely for you, a goddess, to do such a thing,” Lucina’s tone at the latter of her response made her sound like she should have expected better from Palutena.

“I wouldn’t absolutely guarantee that,” she smirked before more Mii fighters came at them.   

Seventy-four enemies taken down after their short conversation and both women were in good shape, feeling exuberant to send more suckers out of the park. The seventy-fifth fighter had to be one of the computerized Smashers, but it was selected at random. Both Palutena and Lucina hoped it could be anyone except for that one person they didn’t want to face. Unfortunately, it _was_ that one person they didn’t want to face who appeared on the stage with white wings and a bow belonging to the goddess herself.

“Why does it have to be Pit?” Palutena whined as she tried to knockout the computer Pit, but for some reason, she couldn’t. She would raise her staff to unleash a long blue blade that would kill the white angel yet was hesitant to do so. Palutena then had a flashback of the recent incident where Pit was exposed to the goddess kissing Lucina. The shock and anger in his eyes were the first things that came to mind when she gazed at the computerized Pit’s eyes. As soon as she let her guard down, the artificial white angel grabbed her threw her forward and used his upperdash arm, which sent Palutena high up in the sky but was still in the game, luckily. Lucina, seeing her goddess struggle, grabbed the artificial Pit and tried to pummel him by kicking him in his guts. However, she also experienced the same thing Palutena had. This time, the swordswoman saw hatred in Pit’s eyes even though the computer fighter was not supposed to have any emotional expressions, which encompassed the eyes. Consequently, Lucina released her grasp and stepped back, fearing that everything will deteriorate from here. The computer Pit targeted the bluenette with his bow, but Lucina dodged once she snapped back. When she did, Palutena snuck up behind to use her ethereal wings to send him into the void.

“You’re finished,” Lucina shouted with determination as she short-hopped and vertically swung her blade at Pit. The computer rolled forward to escape the attack and from a possible team combo. It then grabbed Lucina and threw her towards Palutena who was already charging up her attack. Luckily, teammates couldn’t damage each other so they were safe until the computer Pit used his upperdash arm one last time to send Palutena high into the sky where a blue flash appeared.

“Failure,” a voiceover said as the artificial Pit and some Miis disappeared from the stage. Soon Lucina was fading away, meaning the trial ended.

Both women returned to the white room, disappointed and distressed that they couldn’t complete their 100-man event, especially when one of the Smashers who happened to see two women kiss and became distraught because of it, leaving the two ladies concerned about that person and their own relationship.

“I can’t believe that we failed our 100-man challenge because of Pit,” Lucina frowned, indirectly implicating that it was the white angel’s fault for their failure. Her anger was taking control of her mind and wasn’t thinking clearly. “He ruins everything.”

“Oh, so, Pit is to blame because we couldn’t complete our challenge,” Palutena refuted, sounding unhappy to hear the bluenette talk harshly on Pit.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” she defended her previous statement. “I meant to blame on the computerized Pit.”

“Well, if you weren’t so predictable with your short jumping and forward slashing, then we could’ve progressed further,” now Palutena’s anger was getting the best of her.

“That’s coming from the one who constantly uses the same move without any variation in attacks and got punished for it.”

“Oh, and you think you’re better just by copying the same moves as Marth,” Palutena immediately regretted saying that as her eyes widened and covered her mouth with her hands. “No, I didn’t mean-“

“I-I can’t believe you said that… after supporting and comforting me, you still think I’m just a damn clone!” There was water coming from Lucina’s eyes but they weren’t running down her face.

“I don’t!” Palutena disagreed. “You’re amazing, beautiful, and a courageous person, Lucina-“

“NO!!” she shrieked in disbelief, silencing the goddess. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies and be manipulated by you. You’re no goddess; you’re just a disgraceful and dim-witted person with no personality and a lack of a mother figure.”

“Don’t you dare say that to me,” that nearly pushed the greenette to the edge of absolute rage as her tone would frighten anyone especially villains. “I swear I will-“

“You what? So you can run to Pit because he’s nothing without you and how you’re nothing without-“ Palutena immediately slapped Lucina’s face so hard that the swordswoman fell down to the floor.

“Take that back, clone!” Palutena furiously and vociferously screamed at Lucina before realizing what she just said. She suddenly became guilty and sorrowful. “Wait, I-“

“I knew it! You really do think I’m a clone. Fine, I don’t want to see you ever again!” Lucina yelled in agony and anger.

“A-are you saying that-“ she hoped that it wasn’t what she feared.

“Our relationship is terminated!” Lucina got up and tried to run off to her room. “I hate you!”

“Lucina, let’s work this out. Please,” Palutena asked and begged as she tried to grab her swordswoman, but she ran off sobbing. The only good thing was that they were done for today, but the bad thing was that Smashers saw them argue, including Dark Pit. Palutena walked towards the exit, maintaining a neutral expression despite the horrendous thing that happened to her especially hearing the three words she never expected to hear from Lucina: “I hate you.” Before she reached the exit, Dark Pit stopped her who finished his events earlier.

“Hey, Palutena, what the hell happened?” The black angel asked in concern, which was rare to see.

She said nothing and continued to walk. Once she exited the white room, Dark Pit heard Palutena burst into tears, giving him an awful and unpleasant feeling inside of him. He then had his hands on his head, stressing out on the tragedy that he had no knowledge of. Then the door opened and his head turned quickly to hopefully think it was Palutena again, so she could answer his question. Instead, he saw Robin who also had a meticulous expression Dark Pit displayed after seeing Palutena in tears.

“Hey, angel, what’s going on with Palutena and Lucina?” Robin asked with an extreme fear of a bad ending between the two women after she saw the bluenette run away crying. She hoped Dark Pit would say no.

“I don’t know,” he answered back. “I asked nearly the same thing to Palutena, but she gave me no response.”

“This is bad. This is bad. Oh, Naga, this is bad,” the female tactician became so distressed that she began pulling her white hair aggressively. It looked like her hair was going to rip apart from her scalp.

“Whoa, Robin,” Dark Pit managed to calm down the mage by getting her to release her grasp on her luminous hair. “Just take some deep breathes and it’ll be okay.”

“I just hope so.”  


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“Robin, I got your call as soon as I got it,” the male Robin said worriedly as he entered into his female counterpart’s room with the dark having his back against a wall while the female tactician sat down on her purple chair. “What’s going on?”

Dark Pit and Robin just blankly stared at the male tactician, showing concern and giving the male Robin the creeps. Neither one had any courage to talk about what happened to Lucina and Palutena. The only thing the two could muse about were their experiences with the greenette and the bluenette just half an hour ago: the black angel hearing Palutena sob with such pain while the female tactician saw her friend run away in tears.

_“Lucina,” Robin shouted her friend’s name while running after her. Unfortunately, the swordswoman wouldn’t comply and Robin was slower than her friend’s so it looked like she was getting further away. “Lucina, just hold on a minute.”_

_The bluenette refused to listen to her friend as she couldn’t handle engaging in a single conversation now that her relationship with Palutena was at an awful ending. She reached her room, opened it, and slammed it as soon as she got inside. However, Robin managed to stick her foot onto the bottom rail in order to get the chance to speak to Lucina. Although it was painful, she didn’t care because all she cared about was her friend’s situation._

_“Lucina, tell me what happened to you?” The female tactician asked in a concerned tone as she moved back her foot that was on the rail._

_She shouldn’t have done that because Lucina immediately shut the door and locked it. Robin didn’t knock again and ran off to the white room, hoping to find Palutena and figure out why the bluenette was feeling sad. However, she saw the goddess in tears as well and feared that the worst came into her mind. In disbelief, she entered the white room to hopefully find someone else to tell her what the hell was going on. In the end, she saw Dark Pit._

“No…” Avatar responded in shock and in denial as his eyes widened. “That can’t be true. Neither of you actually know that Palutena and Lucina broke up.”

“Actually,” the female mage added to exacerbate the conversation. “Angel heard their argument and Lucina shouting that their relationship is done.”

“The thing is that I can’t get rid of their argument from my head,” Dark Pit said as he placed his right hand on his forehead. “It really bothers me.”

“I know how you feel,” Robin empathized. “After seeing Lucina and Palutena in their depressed state, it kills my conscious, too, just by thinking about it.”

“Guys,” the male tactician spoke to the two. “We have to do something. We’re their friends, and we have to be there for them no matter what the circumstances.”

“He’s right,” the dark angel agreed. “We do care about Palutena and Lucina. When they are in the depths of darkness, we’re there to pull them out.”

“That’s a pretty cool thing to say, angel,” Robin replied, trying to put some humor and positivity into the conversation.

“Thanks.”

“By the way, have you guys seen Pit lately?” the male Robin added. “He seemed confused and angry at the same time when I saw him.”

“Oh,” Dark Pit wasn’t too happy to hear his doppelganger’s name. The reason was that Pit told him about Palutena’s relationship with Lucina.

“What?”

_Pit and Dark Pit were up next for their Target Smash event. Before they entered into the teleportation pods, Pit had the courage to tell Pittoo about what he saw._

_“Pittoo, I need to talk to you about Lady Palutena,” the white angel said quietly._

_“What is there to talk about?” The black angel replied, noticing the strange behavior he displayed._

_“Just earlier, I saw Lady Palutena kiss Lucina right in front of her lips,” he sounded calm rather than furious yet at the same time was confused._

_“No… way,” the dark angel pretended to be as shocked as he was trying to be, which Pit bought. “Does that mean they are-“_

_“Yeah, Lady Palutena told me everything with how she and Lucina began dating and how they still are as of now.”_

_“When did they first start dating?”_

_“She said after the party I threw for her after Lucina’s stabbing incident with Lady Palutena.”_

_“So how do you feel about that?”_

_“I don’t know. I freaked out and ran off trying to think this out. Pittoo, can you help me with this?”_

_“… If I do then please don’t get mad at me for what I’m about to tell you,” Dark Pit decided to tell him his doppelganger the truth about him already knowing about Palutena’s secret relationship with Lucina, which he should have done in the first place._

_“Why?” Pit wondered curiously._

_“Because I already know about your goddess and Lucina,” he blurted out, actually feeling afraid if the white angel would unleash his anger towards him._

_“Hold on, you knew this entire time and you never told me?!” Dark Pit knew it was going to happen._

_“I didn’t tell you because your goddess promised me not to tell anyone, in order to protect you.”_

_“Protect me from what?”_

_“Protect you from how you would react to this. She knew you wouldn’t like it, so she had to keep it a secret.”_

_Pit had no other words to respond in how astonished and upset he was. He realized that his goddess had lied to him about being friends with Lucina because they were more than that. Now he was more confused than he ever was before, perhaps because he never experienced this sort of thing in his life. Plus, he wasn’t exactly compartmentalizing psychologically since he did not cope with this very well._

_“Anyways, I’m sorry for telling you at a bad time,” Dark Pit apologized, feeling bad for his doppelganger who was receiving the most unexpected type of news he could ever get._

_“At least, you were honest with me, unlike Lady Palutena,” with that the black angel said nothing else, sinking the feeling that Pit finally said something negative about his goddess. He honestly had no clue on how to react right now. Should he be glad that Pit can think for himself or should he be afraid that his relationship with Palutena will deteriorate into nothingness?_

_And now their event was waiting for them._

“Great,” the male Robin responded sarcastically. “Three people we know are now unhappy. The ceremony is in two hours and we’re supposed to get ready in an hour. How the hell can we get Lucina, Palutena, and Pit feel good enough to just dress up and arrive at the stadium?!”

“The only way I could think of is trying talking to them and convincing them at the very least,” the female tactician responded calmly.

“It’s the only way,” Avatar agreed. “I propose that one of us talk to one person, so that time is on our side.”

“Sounds good enough,” Robin acquiesced . “So who’s going to talk to whom?”

“I guess I’ll try to get my opposite self to show up at the ceremony and hopefully convince him that Palutena and Lucina’s dating is not as bad as it seems,” Dark Pit spoke up first.

“Actually, I would prefer if I talked to Pit instead of you,” Avatar interfered, shocking his female counterpart and the black angel by his response.

“Hold on, you’re serious?” Robin reassured to make sure she was listening correctly.

“Yes, I can understand what he is feeling better than both of you, so with me going, I have a better chance at success,” he pointed out to support his argument.

“I’m fine with it as long as you know what you’re doing,” Dark Pit consented. “Looks like I should talk to Palutena then and Robin, you’re going to try to talk to Lucina then.”

“Sounds good to me, angel,” Robin replied with a smile.

“Then it’s settled: I’ll go after Pit, Robin will go after Lucina, and Dark Pit will go after Palutena. Let’s move out,” the male Robin commanded as the three exited out of the female tactician’s room.

The male Robin’s method to finding Pit was placing his shoes onto the angel’s and thinking to himself: what would Pit do in the situation he was in? Where would he go? After minutes of silent thinking, he came to a conclusion and walked at the back of the mansion and to the hills overviewing the city beautifully. A young man with white wings was sitting down on top of a hill and looking at the vistas of Smash City.

“I knew I’d find you here.”

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to be here,” Pit commented without expressing any emotional tone as he turned to see the male tactician who sat down next to him. “So is there a reason that you are here where I am sitting now?”

“There _is_ a reason.”

“Will you tell me?”

“Hear me out,” the tactician began. “You know about Palutena and Lucina dating right?”

“Please, I don’t want to listen to it. I know it already,” Pit angrily responded.

“Can you tell me why you’re upset about it?”

“It’s that, Lady Palutena has been seeing Lucina who nearly killed her and never once told me that she asked her out. Then I started becoming friends with Lucina and then I found they are dating when I saw Lady Palutena kissed your blue-haired friend. I don’t understand how Lady Palutena kept this away from me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“She’s been looking out for me during the fight against Medusa and Hades and providing me with advice to help me guide through life. And now Lucina gets in the way and I don’t get the time to spend with Lady Palutena at all. It hurts me inside so much that I feel like I hate them both,” Pit’s was becoming aggravated and his tone displayed it.

“From what I hear, it sounds like you think Lucina is stealing Palutena out of your life and you refuse to accept that,” the tactician was correct, as usual.

“That’s not what I said,” Pit denied.

“It definitely is,” he refuted. “You mentioned how Palutena means everything to you because she essentially raised you as a mother. With Lucina dating Palutena, you’ve become insecure and lost in life because the one thing most important to you is taken away by someone else. You refuse to let that happen, so you become angry and distant when you discovered the truth. Really, you don’t want to experience this change that your goddess is going through.”

“Do you have to analyze everything?”

“My apologizes,” the male Robin confessed. “I’m a tactician, so I tend to assess things and figure them out.”

“I can see that,” the white angel pouted.

“Anyways,” he returned to the topic. “I understand how important Palutena is to you. Lucina is important to me as well. Believe me, when our relationship ended, I was depressed, refusing to think that this actually happened, so I was constantly bugging around Lucina, which irritated her a lot. On the bright side, I apologized to her and we ended being good friends after a while since I’ve now accepted my loss. Look, what I’m really saying is that if you love Palutena, you should give her a chance at this relationship with Lucina because it is the type of thing you want to see. If she’s happy, then you should be happy as well. Don’t see this as a loss of someone you deeply care about, think of it as adding a new member to your family.”

Pit processed everything the male tactician had said, still trying to muse if he should give his goddess a chance. He was still unsure and was ambivalent about it because Palutena secretly dated Lucina behind his back, promised Pittoo to keep his mouth shut, and pretended that the bluenette was her friend. At the same time, there was no reason for Pit to forbid Palutena from dating Lucina if she was content with her. The pros and cons were pounding on his mind aggressively and he was stuck in an intense debate against himself.

“Well, I hope you understood what I’ve said, but now I need to be prepared for the opening ceremony that we all have to attend,” Avatar got up, made his goodbye to Pit, and walked off, knowing that he did his task and accomplished it.

The white angel remained where he was for ten minutes before getting up and returning to the mansion.

Dark Pit was nervous as he stood in front of Palutena’s door. He had no idea what he was about to encounter, but he had to at least cheer her up or something. _“Here goes nothing,”_ he thought to himself when his right fist contacted the door softly. Three knocks were made but no response from the inside was heard. The dark angel grew more curious and placed his left hand on the doorknob. Strangely enough, it was unlocked and he didn’t wait any longer, so he entered in without hesitation.

Inside, the goddess was drinking her depression away with a bottle of alcohol.

“What do you want, Pittoo?” Palutena coldly said, not even looking at the angel as if she knew he was going to be here. She was trying to refrain from tearing up.

“I was just checking to see if you’re okay,” Dark Pit calmly responded.

“O-of course, I’m fine,” she stammered, trying to prevent herself from an emotional breakdown. “W-why w-would you t-think that?”

“Well, I just heard you cry earlier, and I just want to see if you were okay.”

“Pittoo,” the greenette began, having a slight change in tone. “I want to you to be honest with me.”

“Um…” he was confused yet at the same time was anticipating something he feared would happen. “What do you mean?”

“Why… can’t I ever succeed in a relationship?”

“Huh?”

“What the hell is wrong with me?” She was scaring Dark Pit.

“There’s nothing wrong wi-“

“YES, THERE IS!!” Palutena soon began to breakdown in tears after taking a drink. Dark Pit froze in terror because he had no idea what to do now; he had never seen Palutena this sad in his life. “W-why does everyone who I’ve dated before hate me? L-Lucina e-e-e-even h-hates… ME!”

“No, she doesn’t,” the dark angel refuted, trying to be as calm as possible.

“Don’t try to deny it, Pittoo,” the goddess argued back, her face being red as ever. She took another drink to cope with her sadness. “I’ve been with so many gods and goddesses, but I was never happy with them because every single time I kiss them, they cringe and refrain from ever seeing me again. Then my heart becomes broken and I end up being lonely because there was no one else to love at all… until I met Lucina,” Palutena was now reminiscing the positive attributes when dating the swordswoman. “She made me feel so much more alive and less lonely than I ever was before. I knew she felt the same because she was always smiling when she sees me and the way we interact. Lucina’s serious and humorless personality was always something to like because I like to tease her sometimes. When I kissed her on the lips for the first time, everything became a blur and I intensely focused on pleasing Lucina. From there, I knew we…” she began to tear up again and hyperventilated frantically from being broken up by the bluenette. “I-I knew that we would… be together. But.. THAT NEVER WILL HAPPEN!”

Palutena had her head covered by her arms and wept uncontrollably. Dark Pit never saw the goddess felt this heartbroken and miserable, so he decided to walk up to the greenette, sit next to her, and place his hand around her to comfort her at the very least.

“It’ll be okay,” the dark angel softly spoke as he displayed a much different side from him that no one else thought could happen.

“Thank you, Pittoo, but it won’t be okay,” the goddess replied pessimistically, sniffling heavily. “Just losing Lucina shows how I can never find someone in order to be happy.”

“You know, you don’t have to be with someone to be happy,” the black angel said to make Palutena feel better about herself.

“Then explain you and Robin,” she coldly refuted as tears were running through her face.

“That’s not what I mean,” he countered steadily. “I mean a girlfriend, a boyfriend, husband, or wife is not the sole thing you need to be happy. The people around you are much more important. For me, you, Pit, and Robin make me feel awesome at this world because you guys treat me with respect. In all honesty, I do want Robin to be my girlfriend, I will admit that, but as long as you and Pit are here and supporting me, I will always have your back, as well. I think this is how you should feel, Palutena.”

“So, I have to compromise things with Pit and Lucina just to make me happy?” Palutena asked to confirm.

“That’ll be great as long as it’ll prevent you from drinking. Besides, the opening ceremony is in an hour, so you should get ready.”

“I’m not doing any of that.”

“What?”

“Pit will never understand the relationship I had with Lucina and he’ll never accept it. Lucina doesn’t want to see me again because I hurt her. Why would someone come back to me after I’ve hurt them? The opening ceremony is something I rather not attend because I’m just too depressed to do it.”

“Are you serious?” Dark Pit couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yes, I screwed up so much with everyone. I never told Pit about Lucina and me, I lied to him about being friends with Lucina, and I let my anger control my actions, which caused me to hurt Lucina,” she got up grabbed the dark angel and threw him out of her room as she was about to have another emotional breakdown. “…I’m sorry, Pittoo, but I can’t see anyone right now.” She slammed the door and Dark Pit never bothered knocking on the door again. He knew that Palutena was seriously unstable and melancholy, but he did have one more thing to say.

“Palutena, if you can hear me then listen,” he began. “You’ll never have a good relationship if you don’t resolve conflicts. I know relationships are more than that, but it’s crucial. Pit would not be faithful in you and as grateful to have you if you don’t talk and compromise him with this problem. Same for Lucina, give it a shot by apologizing to her and trying to be friends again. If you can’t, then that’s fine because you took an opportunity to make things right. It’s better to take action than ponder on what would happen. So anyways, please don’t ruin yourself over this. Just do something.”

With that he walked away, hoping that the goddess received the message.

It was now Robin’s turn to talk to Lucina and expectantly to get her to feel better. She received a message from Dark Pit on her phone that he did what he had to do, but Palutena decided to stay in her room for the day. The tactician simply replied to not worry about it because she had a plan that was flawless. Her text was intentionally made to be vague in order to put some curiosity on the dark angel’s mind. And now, Robin was a bit nervous because she had rarely seen Lucina this depressed before. She actually needed to spend a few minutes contemplating on what to say and how to respond in certain situations. When she was ready, she placed her right hand on her friend’s door and tried to knock on it, for only to be interrupted by a Star Fox member.

“Hey, Robin,” Falco smoothly greeted the tactician as he got closer to her and leaned his shoulder on the wall.

“Hey,” she dully responded back without even looking at the bird.

“So what are you doing here on this fine day?”

“I’m going to talk to Lucina.”

“Ooh,” the Star Fox pilot crunched his face to display a negative connotation. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

“And why is that?” Robin asked.

“Lucina was very angry at Palutena during their trial in the 100-man Smash because they failed to complete it, and they had an argument from it, which led to a little fight. Eventually, they just didn’t want to see each other again. Do you really want to speak with an angry, butt-hurt swordswoman?”

“First of all, Lucina is not ‘butt-hurt’ by failing one trial. She was just angry and didn’t meet up her expectations. Obviously, you wouldn’t know because you’re not her friend,” she snapped back at the bird for saying something rude to the Ylisse princess.

“Very true,” Falco admitted coolly. “I was only trying to give you a warning if you didn’t know.”

“Well, thanks for being considerate, I guess,” Robin just spoke whatever she said and didn’t care about it.

“So, how are you and the male Robin doing in the competition?” Falco reinitiated the conversation.

“We did so-so. My bro got around 3300 feet while I got around 3400 feet. On our co-op, we got 5000 feet, which sucked for us,” Robin reflected on her event, feeling disappointed and unhappy with her performance.

“That’s pretty good, if you ask me,” the anthropomorphic bird replied in order to make Robin’s situation less awful.

“It’s only the beginning, so I have more chances to improve with my partner.”

“Oh, yes. So, Robin, got any plans later this week?” Falco decided to ask out the female tactician on the spot.

“Besides the competition, nothing else really,” she shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, how about you and I go get some dinner sometime?”

“You’re kidding me right?” Robin laughed at Falco’s attempt to get a date from her. It seemed hilarious and disgusting at the same time for her. “Don’t embarrass yourself, alright man. You may got one date from me because it was a deal we made for you to stop calling Lucina the c-word, but this time, you got nothing,” she tapped his shoulder.

“Are you serious?” Falco responded angrily. “Don’t be stupid, Robin.”

“I’m not. You are. Please, just leave me alone. I have some things to take care of.”

“Hmmph,” he walked off upset as he threw his fists in the air.

“Geez, he’s irritating,” she rolled her eyes, trying not to throw a fist from the bad encounter with Falco. Well, back to work then,” Robin knocked on Lucina’s door physically, waiting for the bluenette to respond.

“Who is it?” Lucina asked softly with her tone having no emotional output.

“It’s me,” the female tactician simply responded.

“Go away,” the swordswoman bluntly said. “I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

“Lucina,” Robin was becoming a little desperate, so she thought of an idea to trick her friend into opening the door. “Something bad has happened. Chrom went missing just moments ago and no one has seen him since. He isn’t in his house either, so I’m worried about where he would be.”

“That’s what my father gets for wandering off like that.”

Robin couldn’t believe that the bluenette would say something like that to her father. She knew Lucina would talk nothing like that at all because this was the man the swordswoman loved dearly. It was clear to her that Lucina was taking this break-up with Palutena extremely hard and she had strong feelings for the goddess.

“Geez, that’s pretty cold to say, but can I come in at least? I left a book of mine in your room last week,” the good thing was that Robin was honest for saying that her book was actually in Lucina’s room but used that reason to trick her friend into entering inside the bluenette’s room.

Without a response, Lucina opened her door and let Robin inside. The tactician grabbed her book from the shelf on the left side of the living room, just to make it more convincing.

“Okay you can leave now,” Lucina said with half-heartedly.

“No, I need to talk to you about Palutena,” Robin refused to leave once she placed the book inside her robe.

“Can you just leave?” Lucina was becoming frustrated.

“I’m not leaving until you and Palutena are on good terms again,” the mage said with determination.

“There’s no point because our relationship has ceased,” the bluenette had to stop and hold her tears for a moment. “Lady Palutena… would never talk to me or… like me anymore.”

“That is not true at all,” the tactician refuted. “You two had an argument, but that doesn’t mean you two hate each other.”

“How would you know? You weren’t exactly in a relationship with a woman like I did.”

“Maybe so, but I’m your friend so I have to help you when you’re in trouble.”

“…”

“Listen, Lucy,” Robin and Lucina sat on a couch to talk about Lucina’s dilemma. “It isn’t good to have a conflict with someone you love-“

“I don’t love Lady Palutena; I just really like her,” Lucina replied with a straight face while trying not to blush at the same time.

“Fair enough,” Robin couldn’t disagree. “It isn’t good to have a conflict with someone you really like, but ending a romantic relationship over your first argument is lame. It shows me that you two weren’t a good couple as I thought.”

“What did you just say?” Lucina was cognitively dissonant when Robin said the relationship between the goddess and her was terrible. “Lady Palutena and I are an amazing couple, always caring and looking out for each other and even kissing,” the thought of the kiss from the goddess gave Lucina a pleasuring sensation as she smiled just by thinking about it. “You know what I mean.”

“Yet you ended that over one stupid argument over a 100-man Smash,” Robin knew that was a risky move, but she had to just to prove her point.

“I can’t believe you, Robin!” Lucina literally punched Robin’s shoulder aggressively. “You cannot talk cruelly about my relationship with Lady Palutena!”

“You’re right,” Robin smiled, knowing that her plan that no one knew about much yet was making its progress.

“Why are you smiling all of a sudden?” The swordswoman was bewildered by that.

“Deep down, you still really like Palutena, I can feel it,” the tactician admitted, placing her hands on her chest to accentuate her statement.  

“Wait, huh?” Lucina tilted her head in more confusion until she realized Robin messed with her mind. So she punched her again. “Robin! Stop messing with my mind!”

“I’m sorry,” she playfully answered back with her hands showing somewhat like surrendering. “I had to do it because I knew you still like Palutena. You don’t stop talking about her whenever we hang out.”

“But, I shouted ‘I hate you’ to her. What if she thinks that is how I truly feel about her?” The Ylisse princess was questioning herself and became pessimistic.

“Not if you compromise it with her,” Robin pointed out.

“She would never do that,” the swordswoman negatively responded.

“Come on, Palutena is one of the nicest people here and not to mention that she’s one of the prettiest women out there, so you’re the lucky one, Lucina,” Robin smirked, trying to get Lucina to grin even if it meant to tease her a little.

“… um,” Lucina played with her fingers and blushed. “I thought you were here to make me feel better, not to embarrass me.”

“Oh, relax, no one is here except us,” the mage was all calm and cool about it as she swung her hands downward. “Like I said, if you try to settle things with her, then maybe things will work out.”

“I- I can’t,” she closed her eyes in concern. “I talked so harshly against Pit that Lady Palutena took offense to that. I stepped over the boundary. She can never forgive me for that. I think I should just move on and find someone else.”

“Oh, Naga, you’re just going to make me hurl,” she deadpanned. “If you want to move on and find someone else, first attempt to compromise with Palutena. Should it fail, you then accept it and possibly find someone else to pursue a relationship.”

“Thank you, Robin, for making me feel better,” the swordswoman hugged the tactician for supporting on her side all this time.

“Hey, that’s what friends are for, am I right?” Robin hugged back, caressing Lucina’s long, blue hair.

“Yes.”

“Also, just in time for you to get dressed and attend the opening ceremony,” Robin made another risky move but hoped it was worth it.

“I don’t know. I’m afraid that Pit and Lady Palutena will be there, so I want to remain here,” Lucina replied, still shaken by the tension between her, the goddess, and the angel.

“Master Hand will not be happy about that, but I’ll tell him that you’re not feeling good.”

“Thank you, Robin.”

“I got your back,” Robin said before leaving Lucina’s room in order to get ready for the opening ceremony in Smash City.

Robin sent the news to Master Hand that Lucina will not attend the ceremony due to personal issues along with Dark Pit who also said the same thing with Palutena. The creator, in response, was not particularly pleased to hear thenews but gave some credit to the tactician and dark angel for informing him. Soon Robin and Dark Pit discussed about how it went for Palutena and Lucina. The female mage was saddened to hear that the goddess was drinking in order to deal with her problem while the black angel was glad to hear that the bluenette felt a little better about herself and the situation she was in. Right as they were about to finish their conversation, the male Robin arrived in a blue Plegian robe, preparing to inform the two about his news with Pit, who was with him. The female Robin and Dark Pit hugged together as a result that Pit arrived at the ceremony and accepted the change that was happening to him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first ever Super Smash Brothers Smash-thlon tournament!” The crowd roared in excitement, the waves of cheers blasting throughout the city. “Featuring just over thirty teams, all Smashers will compete in a series of events in the first two rounds they will compete in out of the four. However, as the tournament goes on, the number of teams will diminish until one will come out as the true champion. And now, let’s bring out the assembled teams and cheer them on as they will strive for the crown!”

One by one, a team entered the stadium after Crazy Hand named the two members of a team and their team name, with a little fun fact or joke to entertain the audience. It was amusing and exuberant at the same time although some couldn’t fathom that the right hand gave permission for his brother to inform the team members.

However, all Robin, Dark Pit, Pit, and Avatar could think about during the ceremony was how Palutena and Lucina would handle their relationship during the next few days of the competition.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The next day was something Robin, Avatar, Pit, and Dark Pit feared for. They wondered how Palutena and Lucina would interact with each other after yesterday’s event. The goddess wasn’t recovering so well due to her drinking. The swordswoman, however, was improving. What made the situation worse was that they had to repeat the same trials for the two events that engendered their break-up. All the tacticians and the dark angel did make some influence towards the goddess and the Ylisse princess, so they hoped it was worth it.

“Hey, Robin,” Dark Pit greeted the female tactician as their second day of competition was about to commence.

“Sup, angel,” she smiled back and got a high five from him. “You ready for today?”

“Somewhat,” he didn’t seem confident with his tone. “At least Pit is on good terms with me, but Palutena is still depressed.”

“True, but we have to keep our eyes open for Palutena and Lucina.”

“I know,” he agreed. “Right now, I need to focus on this competition, just to get rid of this stress I have.”

“Definitely. This time, I’m ready to send the sandbag so far that I’ll literally send it to the next day,” Robin was expressing a smile but revealed determination.

“Oh, yeah, you and your partner are doing the Home-Run contest,” Dark Pit remembered that The Robins were competing in the home-run. “How were yesterday’s trials?”

“Eh, it was okay,” she was a bit more positive towards her first two trials but overall was dissatisfied with it. “I’ll do better today even if it’s my last chance to get a better distance.”

“I like your determination,” he complimented the tactician.

“Aw, thanks,” she playfully and lightly punched the dark angel’s shoulder. Dark Pit chuckled as a result from Robin’s abnormal response. Once they had a good laugh, the female mage took a deep breath before talking again. “Anyways, how was your Target Smash?”

“It was a long one,” the black angel started his reply. “Stages 1 and 2 were pretty easy to get a high score. I think our combined score is one of the highest out of all the teams who competed. In stage 3, however, it was different. I couldn’t score very high, maybe around 200,000, but it wasn’t good enough. Pit was angry at that time and got a terrible score, so we both sucked with that. This time, I know what to do.”

“Here’s a little hint for you,” Robin assisted Dark Pit in improving his Target Smash points. “Focus on the big bomb. The little bomb makes no difference in stage 3. Just rack up damage of around 50-80 percent. Trust me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Robin,” the dark angel replied after hearing good advice from his tactician. He made a quick glance at the clock and saw that his event was about to begin at the stadium and he was here at the mansion, so he had to hurry up. “Well, my event is about to start. I’ll see you around then.”

“Same to you, and good luck, angel,” Robin made her wishes to Dark Pit that he’ll improve in the competition. All she had to do was wait for her partner to arrive and depart to the Home-Run stadium.

It only took just a minute for the male Robin to show up. Right as they were about to make their way to the stadium via the teleportation area, Lucina showed up behind them, feeling a little more anxious than before.

Lucina didn’t sleep very well the previous night, mainly due to the bad termination of her romantic relationship with Palutena despite feeling some comfort by the female tactician. She tried many methods to sleep better such as drinking warm milk, reading a tedious book, keeping the room temperature cool, listening to relaxing music, and preparing her entire body to sleep, but nothing seemed to be effective. Even the slightest thought of the green-haired goddess brought back to the horrific fight they had, which actually led to a physical assault. The more she mused, the harder it became to falling asleep. And when the bluenette woke up, her eyes were a tad red and bags were slouching weakly under her blue sapphire eyes. While awake, she was still exhausted from a lack of sleep, leading to Lucina to close her eyes when walking towards the bathroom and getting dressed for competition.  

She gazed at the mirror, trying to open her eyes and stay awake. Once Lucina splashed some cold water on her face, she became more alert than she was just moments ago. The bluenette took a few minutes looking at herself, wondering about what her life would be without Palutena being her dating partner. It has been a wonderful experience with the goddess, and now she was single. Will she find another person and develop a romantic relationship together? But that wasn’t her main priority; the tournament was her primary focus. Winning and proving her status as a smasher were extremely important as they were vital attributes needed to fit in into the Smash world.

Once Lucina had a light breakfast, she immediately headed towards the white room to get ready. Inside, things were about to get awkward as the goddess was sitting in a chair, waiting for her partner to arrive. The swordswoman tried to avoid any conversation, so she went to the other side where the Hero-King and Roy stood.

“Lucina,” Palutena acknowledged the bluenette’s presence without actually seeing her. “I know you’re trying to avoid me, but we’re partners, aren’t we?”

“…I’m sorry,” replied the bluenette who sounded anxious. She then turned to the goddess who didn’t move her head. “It’s just that our relationship-“

“Don’t mention it,” the greenette curtly responded. She gave a gesture to Lucina to come over. “Let’s not have this ruin our tournament performance.”

Lucina nodded and gave a quick hum, signaling a confirmation that she understood what the goddess said. They were next for their event, so they had to get ready as quickly as possible. Upon entering inside, without any rushing, both women entered their teleportation pods, waiting for one team to complete their trial.

Now it was their first trial of three-minute Smash. The way this was scored was that the amount of kills recorded in all four trials; however, the highest score will be chosen and recorded. So, a team needed an extremely strong result for one of the four trials in order to have a chance to advance to the next round. With previous types of Multi-man Smash like 10-man and 100-man, their times will be converted to points and will be added to the team score. The entire first round was based on the most points accumulated in all events.

It was time for Lucina and Palutena to have a strong performance to make up their 100-man failure. The stage was Big Battlefield, which was not a surprise. The Mii Fighters were randomly selected to spawn and fight to knock off both fighters off the stage in order to stop the trial, rather than one compared to other events.

“Ready? Go!” The bluenette began at the bottom while the greenette was on the highest girder of the stage. As soon as the Mii Fighters entered the fray, Palutena and Lucina initiated the battle. The blue-haired swordswoman jumped first and swung her Falchion in a downward diagonal position. Once she landed on the first level girders, she jumped again to repeat the same set again to earn two kills right off the bat. Then she noticed several brawlers and gunners at the ground level, so Lucina went through the girders and slashed her blade downward in an arc motion. The power coming from her sword caused the fighters to bounce upwards for another hit to create a combo. Lucina succeeded by slashing forward, sending them further away. Then the computer fighters used their momentum to move away from the bluenette to prevent any more combos from happening. Lucina attempted to meteor smash her opponents, but they jumped on her and performed their meteor smashes, sending her to the void at the bottom of the stage. She tried to execute her Dolphin Slash to get back on the ledge but to no avail. The trial ended.

It was an unbelievable occurrence; the match didn’t last 20 seconds. A number of kills in that trial was two. There were some Smashers restraining their laughter from the embarrassing and humiliating performance. Robin, on the other hand, was completely shocked to see how a break-up could completely worsen Lucina and Palutena’s tournament performance. Her eyes were transparent and clear from how surprised that trial lasted.

“This is not good,” the female mage said in a pessimistic tone. She just finished her single Home-Run trial, which sent the sandbag approximately 2,500ft. Her pupils were dilating, hands sweating, and heart pounding her body harder and louder each time. She was watching Lucina’s performance in the three-minute Smash through a large, holographic screen once her set was complete. Looks like Lucina could not say that no one was watching her.

“You’re seeing it, too,” the male counterpart acknowledged that he was not the only one seeing the horrendous performance of his former partner. It was his turn to start his single Home-Run trial. “It can’t be that bad, right?”

“No, it is bad!” She exclaimed but calming herself once she realized she was losing her emotions. “Considering the fact that Palutena and Lucina were dating and broke up horribly, it’s taking a huge toll on them. If this keeps going, then they’ll be eliminated earlier and never talk to each other ever!”

“Come on, Lucina and Palutena can overcome it as long as they can listen and compromise. Like when Lucina and I were together, it took a while to get over our breakup while we were in the newcomer tournament as a duo,” the male mage tried to keep the environment positive and optimistic, hoping his female counterpart understood that Lucina can recover.

“Oh please,” she disagreed. “Lucina almost found a real relationship with Palutena, but it all went down to hell.”

“What did you mean by that?” Avatar asked confused and upset to hear something like that. His eyebrows furrowed, showing his discontentment.

Robin realized what she had said and immediately regretted it. She slapped her forehead, revealing guilt and remorse for saying a messed up statement. “Hold on, I didn’t mean it-“

“Oh, sure,” he replied sarcastically, now showing more resentment towards his female counterpart. “It meant nothing and had no _real_ serious relationship between Lucina and me.” The male mage emphasized the word ‘real’ to insult his female counterpart.

“I’m sorry,” Robin apologized, feeling even worse towards herself. Now she was going to rupture her relationship with her counterpart. “I’m scared, alright! I’m concerned with what’s going to happen with Lucina and Palutena. I don’t know if they’ll be like themselves anymore, and there’s no way I’m going to ruin Lucy’s first Smash experience with a bad taste in her mouth.”

“But you’re not concerned about me when Lucina and I ended our relationship?!” He questioned indignantly. “You realize that it took me time to recover and accept things as they are, especially when Lucina dated Palutena. You know, of all the ludicrous things you’ve said and done, this is one of your lowest and worst ones yet!”

“Please don’t say that!” Robin begged to not get the male Robin extremely infuriated. She even tried to hug him to alleviate his nerves.

“Don’t come close!” He pushed back, not wanting to contact Robin at all. “You know, it’s one thing to pretend to let the Smash fans know we’re related when in fact we’re just the different genders of the same person.”

“That was just to avoid confusion by the fans,” the female tactician defended the secret they had to hide.

“Let’s just cease this argument. Now people are wondering why we are upset, and I don’t want any rumors to be spread through the news.”

“Okay, let’s stop.”

“Damn right,” Avatar walked to the platform where at the center lies a sandbag with an indignant expression towards his counterpart.

“I’m really sorry,” no response from the male mage as he performed his Home-Run contest. Robin’s head hung low, fist clenched in regret, and energy lost from that unexpected dispute. “I’m the stupidest tactician ever.”

With the male Robin’s performance, it was a huge surprise to see how he managed to restrain his anger from hindering his performance. He grabbed the bat, short-hopped backward, and swung his Levin sword in a horizontal, semi-circular motion. He threw the bat downwards four times with the last hit sending the sandbag to the left instead of the right. Calculating the correct time to prevent miscues, the tactician jumped upwards. Before he reached the highest peak of his jump, he dropped his bat so that the sandbag would get hit but not be sent away. When it did, he slashed his blade vertically downward, which meteor smashed the sandbag and was at a position where the male tactician wanted. He continued to perform the bat drop technique until the time was running out. When the timer counted 3, the male tactician positioned his Levin sword across his body and swung in a downward semi-circular motion. The sandbag was sent at the opposite direction of where he was standing but it did not go out of the bounds; it returned to Avatar at the 1-second mark. He carried the bat away from the sandbag before returning to the same point with all of his might.

When it landed, it was one of his best distances ever in the Home-Run contest, recording at 3,645.56ft. This was only his first trial, and he already had increased his and Robin’s chances of proceeding into the next round.

“Great job,” Robin applauded her teammate as he stepped down from the platform. There was no response from him whatsoever. He was still unhappy with Robin’s unintentional statement about her male counterpart’s relationship with Lucina. It was the female tactician’s turn to start her second singles trial. “Wish me luck.”

“Go,” the male mage finally answered back in an unexciting tone.

In her trial, Robin decided to try a different method in getting massive amounts of damage and sending the sandbag extremely far away. She grabbed the bat and struck the sandbag with a backward thrust, sending it towards the end of the platform. Next, she threw her bat downwards numerous times. As she continued to repeat the same move, Robin had to step back in order to prevent any miscalculations. The timer was at 3, and the Sandbag flew back in the opposite direction. It took more time for the tactician to throw down her bat and deal damage. One second left, Robin jumped towards the middle of the platform and slashed her Levin sword vertically downward, meteor smashing the sandbag straight down. Time was nearly expiring, so once the female mage’s feet contacted the ground she swung the bat as hard as she can.

The distance was recorded at 3,445.88ft, an improvement from her first trial. Robin was a bit proud that her second try was better than her first one. Her new strategy was more effective since it racked up more damage. Initially, she did the bat drop method, but she could never execute it effectively.

“That worked much better than I thought,” the female mage positively commented on her performance as she stepped down.

Nothing from her male counterpart, resentment towards Robin flared within his eyes. Usually, his eyes were difficult to read since he didn’t want people to see his emotions. Now that mentality was thrown out the window over a statement.

One more trial left and they would be done for the day, although it would take them a while before they actually do another set. Many other teams have not completed their second trial, so they needed to complete their set. While they wait, they cannot leave the area until all contestants complete their sets for the day.

“Um, Robin, you have a minute to talk?” A soft, delicate voice spoke to the upset female mage.

“Zelda?” Robin finally gazed at the Hylian princess. “Uh, sure, I guess you can, but we can talk somewhere else.”

The two walked towards the benches, away from the male tactician who stood still like a stone statue. Now that they are by themselves, Robin had questions rumbling through her mind. What possible reason could Zelda want to talk to her about? Is it about the argument that happened earlier? If so, why her? Once they sat down, she was ready to answer anything the princess asked.

“Are things between you and your teammate going well?” Robin thought correctly.

“Yeah,” she feigned a smile. “We’re just a little tired and cranky. That’s all.”

“Are you sure?” Zelda questioned, disbelieving the response she got. “It doesn’t sound like you’re telling the truth?”

“Of course I’m telling the truth,” she lied. “I’m just happy that I’ve gotten better at my home run skills.”

Zelda stared at Robin, her eyes squinting harder in order to read the mage’s body language and analyzing the tone of her response. Robin felt uneasy by the Hylian princess’s stare as she was one step closer to getting into an unpleasant conversation.

“How long must you continue staring at me?”

“I have completed my analyses of you, Robin.”

“My wha-“ she was silenced by Zelda’s finger that was placed on her lips.

“I don’t tolerate people who lie to me,” she said calmly. “You are most certainly not well.”

“…” Zelda read her like a book. There was no point to hide what Robin was really feeling, so she decided to tell the truth even though she disliked speaking what’s on her mind. “You’re really good at reading me.”

“Thanks, but I want to know what argument that happened between you and the male Robin,” the princess answered back politely.

“Well,” the female mage began with a little hesitation, feeling afraid of speaking about this type of situation. There was something odd about it. Usually, she would be gentle whenever something bad happened to her. If she talked about it, it would not be a problem. Now she was scared, wanting to hide her suffering from everyone who tried to help her. Suffering in silence was what she was going for. It won’t be anymore. “We were watching Lucy’s match and it didn’t even last 20 seconds. He and I discussed how Lucina’s relationship had ruined her performances. Then he mentioned when he teamed up with Lucina in a match, it took him awhile to move on. With her and Palutena, it was the same, but stupid me said that Lucina’s relationship with Palutena was the closest thing to her having a real relationship. Next, he got upset because I implied that Lucina and he didn’t even have a real, intimate relationship. Now he hates me.”

“That is surprising information I am listening: Lucina and Palutena are dating?” Zelda said astonishingly as her eyes widened a bit.

“Yes, they _were_ dating but not anymore,” she corrected the Hylian.

“Oh, I understand,” Zelda responded disappointingly. “However, continuing on, I’m sure if you apologize to him, he’ll forgive you.”

“It won’t work. He wouldn’t even talk to me during our homerun trial!” Robin exclaimed upsettingly.

“It’s because you are afraid.”

“Me, afraid? Ridiculous,” Robin scoffed with such disbelief.

“I believe this may be the case,” Zelda defended her position calmly. “Forgive me for excessive staring, but I did observe you earlier, trying to assess what reason would both of you have. I’ve noticed that you tend to lower your head when you approach the male Robin. It is as if you are trying to send a message to him, but you have this fear surrounding your head, preventing you from talking to him.”

“Damn it, Zelda!” Robin shouted at the princess upsettingly. She read her again. Transparency was written all over her. “Stop studying me.”

“It’s a habit,” Zelda chuckled at her own comment. “Back to the subject, you shouldn’t let fear inhibit your ability to compromise with people you care for. You have to give every effort you can in order to reconcile. I am a firm believer that everything can be good again.”

“What should I even tell him?” Robin asked, which she thought was a stupid question to ask. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Follow your heart,” the Hyrulean princess answered back. “If you like, we can practice.”

“No, no, you’re right. I know what to say as long as I don’t mess it up.”

“That’s great to hear,” Zelda’s hands were on Robin’s shoulders, showing an expression that the mage hope.

Finally, Zelda saw an expression that always made her feel good, a smile. Robin never imagined feeling better after a talk with a Hylian princess who holds the Triforce of Wisdom. It probably made sense to receive help from someone wise.

“Now that we got that out of the way, there are two other things I would like to have a discussion with you,” Zelda formally requested Robin to talk about something personal.

“Eh, why not?” Robin shrugged her shoulders, returning to herself again. “What would you like to talk about?”

“The first topic is directly towards you,” Robin acknowledged her statement, so she was all ears. “Are you and Dark Pit having some sort of intimate relationship?”

“Hmm, well,” the female tactician pondered aloud playfully. It was extremely rare to see Robin blush whenever someone talked to her about any romantic interests. “If I was honest, then I say we are more like close friends. However, I would definitely date him. He’s pretty cool guy to hang around.”

“Then why are you not pursuing him?” The princess tilted her head in bewilderment.

“I guess I don’t want to make things weird between Lucina and me. She just went through a break-up and if I date Dark Pit now, it’ll hurt her even more.”

“That’s a wonderful thing to do for a friend.”

“Whatever you say,” she teased.

“So you are in a phase where you and Dark Pit get to know and enjoy each other’s company?” Zelda wanted to confirm that this was true.

“Pretty much,” she confirmed which gave Zelda a strong and beaming grin. “So you’re smiling pretty brightly, Zelda. I wonder why.”

“Oh,” she tried to hide her blush from the female tactician, but Robin caught it. The mage had an idea why Zelda asked about her and the dark angel. “That brings me to the second topic.”

“Go on.”

“Do you know if Samus is seeing anyone currently?”

“Funny, I asked her about this since Peach’s party and she shook her head,” Zelda had a sigh of relief when she heard that Samus was single. Robin was confused with the Hylian’s behavior, so now it was her turn to figure out Zelda’s message. “Hold on, Zelda why are you asking me this?”

“Just wondering as all,” she replied sheepishly.

“Strange,” Robin seemed unconvinced. “There has to be a better reason for this. I mean you asked about Angel and me, and you asked me about Samus’s relationship status. Then that means… NO WAY!”

“What?” The princess asked nonchalantly.

“You want to pursue a romantic relationship with her, aren’t you?”

No verbal response. All Robin saw was Zelda grinning and blushing, which proved her right.

“Well, well, well, Zelda is taking a liking for a certain bounty hunter,” Robin teased, making the princess more uncomfortable. “When did this happen all of a sudden?”

“Back in the third tournament,” the Hylian admitted. “We were placed together as a team in a doubles tournament. I wanted to get to know her well, so I did my best to understand where she came from and always committed to making her feel better. We didn’t win, but I ended up having this unusual attraction towards Samus. Back then, I could not figure out why I was feeling that way, but when she came back in this tournament the feeling came back. It took me awhile to figure out why I was feeling this way.”

“You two go back many years ago. You never told her.”

“I didn’t think she would be okay with it. She probably would never talk to me for having some attraction towards her,” Zelda began worrying about the bounty hunter having a negative perception on the princess.

“Don’t worry about it, princess,” Robin reassured that Zelda should not be concerned about anything. “I’m sure Samus won’t hate you for liking her like that. After all, you two are good friends.”

“You’re right, I’m certain that Samus will consider my situation and decide whether to date me or turn me down.”

“You seem confident about Samus might not wanting to date you.”

“I just have to face it and accept as it is.”

“True. I’m glad you talked to me about my situation, Zelda. I don’t think I would have been able to handle this better if it wasn’t for you. Thanks,” Robin expressed her gratitude by hugging the princess, lifting the negativity off of her person.

“I’m glad I was helpful,” the princess reciprocated the hug with a smile. “I think my homerun trial is coming up.”

“Oh,” she realized time went quickly. “Let’s head back.”

“How could you die under 20 seconds, Lucina?!” A holler that came from the angry goddess was an awful experience to hear.

Both went to the hallway where Lucina’s room was located. The bluenette was ignoring every reprimand Palutena threw at her; the greenette had every right to be since all three tries from the 3-minute ended under 30 seconds, all because Lucina was meteor smashed by Mii fighters. At this rate, they needed better results in other events in order to make up for the failure of the 3-minute Smash.

“I want answers. Now!” Palutena was becoming frustrated as she grabbed the swordswoman’s right shoulder and turned her around. “Why are you so bad in the trials today? Tell me!”

“…” Lucina tried to muster up the words to respond to Palutena. No words would come out because she was embarrassed to talk about it.

“First we’re broken up, now you can’t even talk to me?!” Now the goddess became furious and irritated by Lucina’s behavior. “You are so disrespectful and rude. I can’t believe that I ever-“

“You,” the swordswoman finally answered.

“What?”

“Because of you, my abilities have gotten weaker. Your support was the reason why I feel like I could do anything. Now that your support dissipated when we terminated our relationship, I am lost, having no other support to bring positivity to my fighting abilities.”

Palutena was amazed by Lucina’s sudden response. It was a heartfelt speech that made her feel moved. She never realized how much Lucina meant to her. It made her look like a jackass for being harsh and critical. “W-wow. Lucina, it was because of me that you weren’t doing so well. That is really thoughtful-“

“Yeah, it is,” the bluenette sounded like she didn’t mean it. She turned around and faced her door. “But of course, you had to say that I am horrendous at my fighting skills without asking if why I am not performing well in the beginning.”

“But-“

“No, you never considered my position and want to find a way to insult me just to make yourself feel better,” Lucina’s right hand was on the door handle.

“I’m sorry,” Palutena regretted everything she did since the 3-minute trials. Unfortunately, Lucina went inside without saying a word and shut the door. The goddess stood there for a minute before returning to her room in sheer sadness for destroying any hopes of making up with Lucina.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The standings were in for the beginning of the tournament. Many teams had performed well so far. However, 5 teams were extraordinarily outstanding above all others. Most of them were veterans of Smash whether from the first to the third series. In 5th place was the team of Sonic and Pac-Man. Their Target Blast session gave them a strong lead in the tournament. On their second day, the Cruel Smash event, luck had played on their side. They managed to get 8 kills, boosting them into the top rankings. The singles champion was not particularly concerned. Even though it was the beginning, things can take an unexpected twist.

In 4th place was the team of Marth and Roy. The _Melee_ duo was back at it again. Previously upsetting everyone in the second edition as a team, it was no surprise that both swordsmen were doing well. In their Multi-Man events, Endless and 100-man, they entered with high expectations and came out achieving the role. They were one of the favorites to win the tournament. In 3rd place was the team of Mario and Luigi, also known as the Mario Brothers. Their Home-Run session gave them the biggest boost in their total score. Mario, however, wanted to beat his rival, Sonic after the loss in the singles tournament.

In 2nd place was the team of Samus and Zelda. People had polarized reactions. They knew Samus was, if not the best, one of the best fighters in Smash history. Zelda, on the other hand, was perceived by people more on the negative side as she had low results from previous tournaments. Because of their Home-Run trials, everyone became surprised since the two scored one of the highest in the tournament so far. That performance significantly placed them in the top 5. It was not just skills that got them there; it was their chemistry that led them to their domination in the competition. Both were aware of the idea, but Zelda felt something more than chemistry. Despite the bounty hunter being unaware of Zelda’s attraction towards her, the Hylian kept it hidden until she can have the courage to ask her out. Link thought he was going to be partnered with Zelda but was unhappy when Samus was her partner instead. In the end, he teamed up with Meta Knight and ended up being the team in 1st right now.

Robin was preparing herself for the next event, Endless Smash. The rules were simple, knockout as many Miis before both Smashers were beaten. The total number of kills was then converted to tournament points, which were calculated with some mathematical formula. Then she realized something horrible, she would be seeing Lucina and Palutena there. It also didn’t alleviate her stresses that she had a fight with her male counterpart.

“Everything will be ok,” was what she would repeat to herself whenever something bad happened. When negative was clouding her mind, she would repeat the aforementioned statement. As she made her way to the white room, Dark Pit met up with the tactician, causing her to smile.

“Robin,” he greeted her and noticed that she was not in a good mood. “Are you okay? You don’t seem to be happy.”

“No, I am not, unfortunately,” she admitted, never wanting to lie in front of the angel whom she liked dearly. “Yesterday was just atrocious.”

“Was your home-run bad?” He guessed.

“No,” Robin took a deep breath before speaking to Dark Pit. She told him everything about that happened between her and her male counterpart. It was becoming harder for her to speak about it. The more she talked, the harder it became to finish the entire story. Robin did her best to hold back the tears as the memories came flashing back to her.

“Robin, I’m sorry that happened,” unbeknownst to the dark angel, he embraced Robin in order to comfort the pain she was going through. “If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, you can tell me.”

“Keep hugging me, I need it,” because she said that, Dark Pit’s mind froze for a moment. He realized that he was hugging the woman he liked and became intensely warm. However, soon after, his body temperature cooled down a little.

“Ok,” was all he can say. It was silent for them for minutes before both released their hug. Dark Pit rubbed his neck in awkwardness whereas Robin had no expression on her face other than sadness.

“Thanks, I really needed that,” she grinned before wiping the water that was on the surface of her eyes.

“Yeah,” he answered back, trying to keep his cool and act as if it was no big deal.

Robin simply giggled by the black angel’s amusing behavior, but she was not completely feeling better about herself. “I should be on my way right now.”

“What event are you doing?” He inquired.

“Endless Smash.”

“Fight until you drop then,” Dark Pit tried to put some humor, which did work as Robin chuckled.

“I suppose so. What’s your event?”

“Home-Run contest,” he responded, feeling confident about the event. “I’ve been practicing for that event. I just hope my copy doesn’t fuck up.”

“I’m sure he won’t,” Robin optimistically said. “Good luck with your tournament,” she walked away before being stopped by her angel.

“Robin, hold on,” he didn’t want to leave his tactician having no energy to compete. She faced him, confused on what he wanted from her. “I’m not the kind of guy who says nice things; that’s Pit’s job, but you need to know something. Mistakes are what make people like us people. We will never be perfect in whatever it is: Smash, personality, body, or mind. However, we do have one skill that drives us to become better people, compromise. Fixing the wrongs will make things right. Doing things because you have fear becomes bravery. Robin, you have to talk to your male counterpart. Things will stagnate further if you don’t do anything. Suffering in silence doesn’t get you anywhere. Talking to others does. I just want you to know because I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”

Robin walked up to him and embraced him once again. Tears flew down her face. She cannot express how much Dark Pit motivated her to repair the relationship with her male counterpart. “Thank you so much, Angel. What would I do if you weren’t around?”

“Asking Pit for help,” Robin released her hug, wiped her tears, and laughed. This time, she felt better now that Dark Pit lifted her spirits up.

“I need to be going now, so I’ll talk to you later?”

“Talk to you later,” Dark Pit said before departing for the stadium. He was glad to comfort Robin in her darkest times. There was a strange feeling he was getting from his heart. It was not a romantic feeling; it was a feeling of happiness for helping a person in need. For a doppelgänger of Pit, he was not completely opposite of him at all.

Inside the white room, Robin saw a reasonable amount of Smashers in the room. They were not clustered but rather spread out. She did not see her male counterpart anywhere, so she had a quick sigh of relief to herself. He must be on his way if that was the case. The tactician did find Lucina at the couch similar to how Palutena was the previous day. Speaking of the goddess, she was not present with her nor was she in the vicinity of the room. It was not a good sign to see in her eyes.

“Lucy,” she sat down next to her friend, trying to give positive vibes to the swordswoman who expressed no emotions. “Feeling alright?”

“The events that occurred in the past days have not made me feeling ‘alright’ at all,” she sounded curt at the latter of her sentence, which Robin didn’t seem to mind.

“Probably shouldn’t have said it,” she joked to herself in a non-humorous way before shifting her tone to more serious one. “Anyways, I actually learned something from my angel that will apply to you and Palutena.”

“Unlikely to succeed,” Lucina was downright pessimistic as if she accepted the break-up as it was. “Besides, I can move on and potentially find another partner who doesn’t call me a clone.”

“She was angry at the time, she wasn’t thinking rationally,” Robin argued against her blue-haired friend.

“I heard the message and she had the same view that all other fans view towards me: unoriginal and never meant to be here,” the negativity nearly brought Lucina into tears.

“Damn it, girl,” Robin shook the swordswoman. Her voice wasn’t vociferous so that no one heard it, which was a good thing. “People make the wrong choices. Mistakes are what make people like us people. We will never be perfect in whatever it is: Smash, personality, body, or mind. However, we do have one skill that drives us to become better, compromise. Fixing wrong will make things right. Doing things because you have fear becomes bravery. Robin, you have to talk to your male counterpart. Things will stagnate further if you don’t do anything. Suffering in silence doesn’t get you anywhere. Talking to others does. I just want you to know because I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”

The tactician realized for a moment that she quoted the exact words that Dark Pit said to her. She memorized the words just by listening to him once. It was strange to her, but it did not matter to her. Lucina took some time to process the information Robin threw at her. It was a compelling argument since Robin proved some points. Lucina did want to fix things with Palutena yet she felt uncertain if she wanted to get back with her. Everything was swirling around her with nothing to resolve.

“I’ll put my efforts in mending my relationship with Lady Palutena,” Robin was pleased to hear those words come out of Lucina’s mouth.

“That’s good, and now go fix it,” the bluenette was surprised that she should fix the situation immediately.

“Lady Palutena isn’t present. She should be here momentarily and I will disclose it then.”

“Do what you have to do,” as soon as Robin finished her sentence, the male Robin walked in. When he saw his female tactician who gave a smile and wave, he ignored the message and walked away. That brought down some pessimism to the female mage but not to a point where she lost all hope. She still was certain that things will be better.

“I’ll be somewhere else now.”

“Go ahead, Robin.”

“See ya,” Robin said before taking off to meet with her male counterpart to amend broken strings. Meanwhile, Lucina was concerned with Palutena. She had not arrived yet. What reason could it possibly be? Hopefully nothing bad happened; otherwise, Lucina felt like she was going to blame herself.

Inside the goddess’s room, there were empty bottles of alcohol on the counter table near the kitchen. Some were tipped over while some remained still. It was a disastrous image like when a person was heartbroken over losing someone. Just like that, the green-haired goddess was on the floor, passed out from drinking many bottles of alcohol. There was one on her hand when she was out like a light.

_“I’ll never be happy,” Palutena cried as she finished her second bottle before drinking another one right after. “I’m so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I ruined my relationship with Lucina, and now she hates me because I acted like a bitch. I’m a pathetic excuse for a deity. Shameful. Disgraceful. Dishonor. Stupid.” After finishing so many bottles, Palutena tried to walk to bed with a bottle in her hand but she fell down and slept like that for the rest of the night._

Her eyes were slowly opening, visions still blurry from being hungover. Palutena placed one hand on a chair while the other hand was reaching for the other chair. As she got up, she saw the clock and panicked. She was going to be late for her event. First, she had to drink some water because she was completely dehydrated. Once she did, she changed to her default attire for battle and ran out the door while having headaches.

When she arrived, people stared at her since she made noise entering into the white room. Trying not to give away signs of a hangover, she ignored the pains internally and acted like she was normal as she could be. “Sorry, I overslept as all.”

The fighters believed her, so they resumed to their business. Palutena then saw something that she felt as disgusting: Meta Knight having a conversation with Lucina and the two seemed to enjoy each other’s company very well. There were laughs and smiles, which signal a positive relationship. The goddess perceived it differently; she viewed it as Meta Knight stealing away the one woman that made her happy like no other. Her expression changed to being enraged and marched towards the two.

“So,” she pretended to be curious and happy that Lucina was talking to people. “Who are you to talk to Lucina?”

“I approached her and requested a casual conversation. The fair lady had accepted my request, so, therefore, I am engaging in a social talk,” Meta Knight responded calmly without being upset whatsoever.

“Get away from her. She’s not yours. She’s-“Lucina had cut her off.

“No, _you_ should get away from Sir Meta Knight. At least he wasn’t discourteous compared to you,” that hit a nerve on the goddess. She was surprised that the bluenette had insulted her. No words could describe how she felt when the woman she still had feelings for just shot her down. Her world had fallen into broken pieces.

“B-but, I… I…” without forming a sentence, Palutena left the room and went outside to the bathroom to clean herself.

“I apologize for her uncivil behavior,” the swordswoman felt bad that the Star warrior had to face the goddess in a negative vibe.

“Has she not? Might I ask what happened?” Meta Knight was intrigued and curious to know what was going on between the two women.

“I prefer to not talk about it. It’s very personal between Lady Palutena and me,” Meta Knight understood Lucina’s boundaries and respected it. He dared not to cross that line.  

“I apologize for not realizing that it was something close to you,” Lucina forgave the Star warrior’s apology. “But I do wish you the best in the competition.”

“Thank you for your support, and I wish the same to you,” Lucina smiled back, which gave Meta Knight a warming sensation from inside of his heart.

“And may your beauty glisten as well,” at first the swordswoman seemed confused by the former champion’s words but soon blushed by the compliment. Meta Knight had no regrets saying the words he had just said. He felt good because of it. “I should depart. My partner and I are next for our event.”

“Good luck,” Lucina said before she found out that the Star warrior grabbed her right hand and bowed down.

“I shall not fail you, my princess,” he released his grip and entered the teleportation pod with Link for his Cruel Smash. The bluenette did not expect Meta Knight to behave that way towards her. Now that she thought of it, the former champion acted somewhat like a gentleman except the one time he was nervous asking her to be partners for the tournament. Based on the circumstances, Lucina had a hunch that Meta Knight had some attraction towards her. She felt torn by her new situation she was in: Meta Knight or Palutena. The goddess was her ex-girlfriend but she really liked her. The times they spent together were some of the best moments Lucina had ever experienced. The Star warrior, on the other hand, was respectful and kind towards her. They had several things they shared in common in regards to how they wore blue, wore masks, and wielded swords. She didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanted to repair conflict and return dating the greenette again; the other part of her wanted to develop a new relationship with the former champion who would not call her a clone.

“She would never be with that sword puffball,” Palutena looked at the mirror after washing her face with cold water. Her tone revealed anxiousness, the fear of losing a loved one taking a toll on her.  “She just would never… no one should be with her but me. That’s how it is supposed to be… just how it is supposed to be.”

The goddess thought no one heard her in the bathroom because she was all alone. However, outside of the restroom, a female tactician overheard the greenette’s agony. Hearing the statements Palutena had said Robin simply walked away, feeling uneasy about her friend’s situation. She pondered the questions she formulated based on the goddess’s words: Was Lucina seeing someone else? Will it make things between her and Palutena worse?

Robin returned to the white room with a surprised expression as if she saw a ghost. Just when things could not get any worse, it did. She saw Lucina sitting by herself and wondered if she should talk to her about Palutena’s agony. In the end, she decided to walk towards her male counterpart.

“Hey, you still want to talk?” She began the conversation nervously, hoping that he would talk back to her.

“I don’t know. Is our relationship real?” He mocked Robin with the question that referred to her remarks that his relationship with Lucina was not a real relationship yesterday.

“Yes, of course, it is,” Robin knew he was going to ask that particular question, which she had no problems at all since she took the blame to herself. “There’s something you may want to know, that is if you want to hear it.”

“Make it quick.”

“Ok,” she prepared herself to speak clearly and discreetly. “I overheard Palutena in the bathroom saying that Lucy will never be with Meta Knight and should only be with her.”

Hearing this, the male Robin finally turned to face his female counterpart, intrigued to hear that Lucina may be interested in someone else. The female mage got him to look at her, which was some progress.

“Are you insinuating that Lucina moved on already?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I can’t rule it out. It’s possible, but I don’t want that to happen,” Robin knew exactly why she hoped her male counterpart’s question would be wrong. She didn’t want to see Palutena suffer in a spiraling depression.

“You didn’t mind that when Lucina and I were over,” she felt another worry again. “Maybe I’m glad Lucina’s finding other people.”

“Come on,” her voice rose a little louder, but no one seemed to care about hearing the conversation. “She just went through a break-up, so why would she find someone to have a romantic relationship? It’ll be a big slap in the face for Palutena.”

“It’s possible because Lucina found out that she and Palutena did not have a real relationship,” he mocked the female Robin once again, still feeling indignant. “Maybe Lucina and Meta Knight’s relationship will have a real one.”

Robin wanted to shout at her male counterpart, she really did. However, she refrained from doing so since it will cause a confrontation. She took a deep breath and calmed her psyche. “Please, help me this once. Mock me if you will, but I don’t want to lose you, Lucina, Palutena, and Angel. I’m sorry for being such an asshole. I deserve it. I didn’t consider you when I was worried about Lucina’s performance yesterday. Please, just help me for once.”

He considered her plea for assistance. There were things to consider: she admitted her mistake, she was stuck in a cage and couldn’t get out, and she kept her cool. However, he noticed that Robin never explained why she was a jerk to him, which weighed significantly high on his perspective. After debating against himself, he made his decision.

“I’ll assist you in your situation,” Robin cheered by jumping a little and gave her male counterpart a big hug.

“You’re the best!”

“I’m not finished,” the female mage now became worried. “You never really acknowledged why you were inconsiderate to me. Until you truly realize why I am unhappy, I won’t consider you as a friend, or even an acquaintance.” 

“Count that as a promise,” Robin wasn’t too fond of hearing that the male Robin would not be her friend until they reconcile. She’ll do whatever it takes to make things right again. Realizing the time, they were next in competing in their event in Endless Smash. “It’s time to Smash.”

“Yeah,” he flatly said as he walked towards the teleportation pods waiting for the session to commence.

The male tactician was on the highest platform while the female tactician was on the ground in Big Battlefield. There was no time limit and Mii fighters will continuously spawn until both fighters were knocked out.

“Ready? Go!” Even amount of brawlers, swordfighters, and gunners appeared on the stage. Robin had thrust her Levin sword outward, sending two Mii fighters out of the stage. She then charged her Thunder tome halfway when two brawlers came trapping her from running away.

“This should be fun,” she scoffed at her opponents, thinking it would be an easy kill. First, she had cast a fireball at the Mii in front of her. Predicting the knockback of her arcfire, Robin short hopped past the brawler by a couple of feet. When the brawler was in stun, the female tactician slashed her Levin sword in an upward overhead way, sending the Mii to the sky. The second brawler charged up and kicked both feet sideways. Robin, somehow knowing the exact timing to catch the Mii, actually grabbed the brawler and threw the computer upwards, killing him.

The male Robin wasn’t as aggressive as his female counterpart. He usually evaded the enemy’s attacks before striking the computer with his Levin sword. He would then mix things up by using double arcfire before swinging his blade over his head. Another strategy he would use was throwing his opponent downward and swinging the sword over his head. He continuously recycled the same techniques but in a randomized style in order to throw off his opponents despite them being computers. To him, it was a good strategy because he wanted to practice until he got the combos executed perfectly.

After minutes of slaying computerized Miis, both Robins were barely taking any damage, which was a good sign. The fighters did not seem to be challenging as they only executed two attacks or just grab the opponent. So far they had 143 kills, not the most out of all the competition, but it was reasonably a good score to boost their ranking if other teams scored worse than they did.

Just when things were okay, the Mii fighters suddenly became stronger and tactically better in their fighting skills. The level of their abilities exponentially rose within a split second. Because of this, both tacticians were taking more damage frequently. They were taking more damage than before, which can ruin their momentum.

“When did all of these guys get so good all of a sudden?” Robin had dodged another grab of the brawler. She grabbed and pummeled the brawler before throwing the fighter down. She quickly short-hopped and unleashed her arcfire before jumping again for an overhead slash with her Levin sword. The female tactician charged her tome for a full second before being shot by a gunner. She turned back and charged at the Mii gunner. Once she predicted the Mii’s movement, Robin side dodged the attack before throwing the enemy upwards.

10 more Miis defeated and the Robins had recorded 153 kills. However, the tides had turned against them as the Mii fighters became extremely more difficult than they ever were. They were cleverer in their fighting abilities and strategies. All of a sudden, both tacticians were at kill percentage. Any little mistake can be fatal.

A swordfighter grabbed the male Robin while a gunner shot a small bright energy that connected to the male mage’s back. The swordfighter threw him up, which the energy had been detonated while being in a stun. Then a brawler used both of its fists to meteor smash Avatar. He then teched the ground to recover quickly, but he rolled to the right which the gunner anticipated the move and grabbed him. The swordfighter slashed its blade diagonally sending the male Robin across the stage. However, the brawler somehow knew where the mage would be at a specific area and executed the Soaring Axe kick, sending the brawler and the male Robin down into the stage.

“Poor Robin,” Dark Pit talked to himself when he saw that it was seven, formidable Mii fighters against his tactician.

The female mage did her best to escape any potential combo starters from any Mii fighters as much as possible. She tried everything she can to get more KOs in her session. However, Robin was suddenly grabbed by a brawler from the behind and held her. Then the brawler threw her forward, which the Mii swordfighter threw a bright, shining shuriken at middle distance. The brawler then kicked Robin upwards by flipping backward. A second brawler was over Robin’s head and swung both fists downward, meteor smashing towards the ground. The tactician quickly recovered but was soon immediately grabbed by the first brawler. The computer threw her backward, and a second swordfighter was upside down in the air and rapidly spun around itself. Then a gunner went offstage to deliver the final blow. The gunner unleashed a fully charged shot, sending the tactician away from the stage as a red flash appeared on the left side of the blast zone.

Returning to the white room, both tacticians were experiencing sheer humiliation. The male Robin was stuck in a team combo, which he was not entirely content. However, the female Robin suffered worse; she was beaten to the extreme with a longer and well-executed combo. She could not do a single thing about it.

“Hey, Robin, sorry about that match,” a familiar voice the female tactician had recognized. When she turned to find out where it came from, she saw Falco who appeared to try to make her feel better.

“Now it’s not the time, Falco,” Robin responded calmly while her expression was emotionless. “I know I got bodied and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I only want to comfort you as all,” he said smoothly.

“Alright, what do you want?” Robin knew there was a reason that the ace pilot was approaching to her. She didn’t want to spend time with him, so he had to say it quick.

“A little bird has been telling me that you are having a personal issue,” he smirked, although he wouldn’t disclose who told him until Robin figured it out.

“I wonder who,” she wondered sarcastically, insinuating it was Zelda. She recalled the time where Zelda and Peach had set her up with Falco, which she didn’t appreciate. “Why would she tell anyone?”

“Now don’t be upset at her,” Falco defended the Hylian. “I would like to help.”

“Why would you want to help me with my personal issue? I want to settle this myself,” she assertively stood her ground.

“Falco, I think that’s a great idea to assist this tactician,” Robin was shocked to hear that the male Robin was allowing Falco to help her.

“What? You’re on the birdie’s side?” The female mage exclaimed indignantly.

“You see, Robin,” Falco decided to clarify everything. “The male Robin had asked me about the troubling situation that’s occurring between you and him. After hours of the mature conversation, we made a deal.”

“What is this deal you guys are speaking of?”

“The deal is that Falco will help you in resolving your issue whether it is between us, Lucina, and any other people you are affiliated with,” the male mage explained with a little smirk on his face.

“Are you serious? Falco has to listen to all of my personal issues?” She wanted to verify that it was not true.

“Yes,” Robin groaned in dissatisfaction. “You shouldn’t complain since you refuse to let anyone to help fix your problem.”

“Fine,” she sighed in defeat after realizing that she couldn’t risk any chances of ruining her relationship with her male counterpart. Robin hung her head low and closed her eyes, trying to not see any images. She just wanted just blackness for a moment.

“Atta girl,” Falco had his right arm over Robin’s shoulders. She didn’t flinch or move at all. Looking at the time, Falco’s event was next, which was 3-minute Smash. “Well, I got to kick some ass right now. Robin, I’ll back for you.”

She said nothing. The ace pilot found his partner, Fox, and entered the pods to commence their session. Robin stood still like the world had stopped around her and reality seemed to be masked with a dark haze.

“I know you can hear me,” the male Robin spoke to the silent tactician. “I know you are upset with me, but there is a reason I am doing this. I just hope you can figure this out,” he walked towards a water machine to rehydrate.

A phone rang inside her robe. Despite its vibration being strong, Robin rarely felt it. She slowly reached the inside her pocket and peered at the message: “ _Robin, it’s me, Zelda. Would you mind meeting with me alone in my room at 9pm tonight? It’s important.”_ The female mage text back by writing: “ _Sure.”_

People’s worlds were crumbling down slowly as the cycle of disasters continued to perpetuate in each one. Will it end? Will the world be stable again?


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

5 minutes before 9 o’clock. Robin began to exit out of her room and departed towards Zelda’s room. She had a strong feeling that the Hylian wanted to talk about Samus. It was a bit obvious that she wanted advice pursuing the bounty hunter. There wasn’t anything irritating about getting assistance on attempting to date someone. In fact, the tactician found it adorable that a princess had an interest in a badass lady. She never imagined a sweet, delicate ruler and a fierce warrior to be together. To her, it was like polar opposites that somehow could potentially work.

For Robin, the tournament so far was a mix of good and bad. Her Endless Smash session put her and the male Robin ahead of the 50th percentile. On the other hand, she was part of a deal of talking Falco about her problems, which she knew it was a way to flirt with her. Hopefully, she could avoid disclosing personal stuff pertaining to Lucina and Zelda since it may spread everywhere.

Now it was 9 pm. Robin was in front of Zelda’s door. Her room was a floor below Lucina’s. It was a door exactly like many other doors in the mansion. However, each fighter could decorate their doors as he or she desired. The Hylian’s door had a Triforce on the middle of its design. There was nothing else out of the ordinary.

The female tactician knocked on the door and waited for several seconds before Zelda answered.

“Robin, hello,” she greeted as she stepped aside. “Please come in.”

Inside the room, it had a royal environment. Portraits of her family were displayed at the center of the living room. On the right side, a sword belonging to her during Zant’s invasion at the Hyrule Castle was carefully mounted on a wall. It was placed horizontally in order to prevent scratches or damages on whether it was the walls or the floors. On the left side, there was a desktop of files and a computer for the Hylian to study other matches and players. She was not used to the new technology, so she kept it simple with guidelines on how to do a specific task. It was easy enough for her to understand without having any issues.

“Would you like to drink anything?” Zelda asked politely.  

“No, but thanks for asking,” Robin declined as she sat on the Hylian’s elegant couch. She scoped around the room one last time before Zelda sat next to her. “So, thinking about Samus lately?”

The Princess blushed. Already, the tactician figured out why she was asked to come over to Zelda’s room. “Am I that transparent?”

“Well, when you tell me about your interest at a certain bounty hunter and wanted to meet with me in private, it’s pretty obvious,” the mage jokingly answered back.

“At least help me,” the Hylian begged Robin, feeling just a bit more nervous than she was before. “I don’t want to ruin my chances with her.”

“I know, I know,” Robin coolly responded, having fun at making Zelda feel more concerned and scared. She stared at the Hylian’s eyes intently, trying to figure out more about the relationship dynamic between her and Samus. Zelda was already uncomfortable by the tactician’s stare, but she knew it was important. As a result, she stared back just to go along with Robin’s help. “Have you talked to her?”

“Yes,” the Hylian’s response was direct. In her mind, the question was a bit idiotic to ask since she and Samus were teammates for this competition. She didn’t know what the direction this guidance was leading to, but Zelda hoped for the best.

“What do you two talk about?” Things were getting better.

“Like for this tournament?”

“Yes and no,” Robin decided to clarify things. “Do you two talk about your personal lives, your likes, and your dislikes? What you like to do for your pastime? Really, anything that you and Samus talk is something.”

“Well,” her tone was not as positive as Robin had imagined. She moved her head slightly away from the tactician and fidgeted her fingers awkwardly. “I can only talk to her about the tournament and the competition.”

Robin furrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the left in confusion. Zelda’s response did not make sense to her because of how long she had known the bounty hunter. What she knew was that they met back in the _Melee_ days. Samus only competed in her armor, so no one truly could figure out her identity. By the time, the _Brawl_ tournament came around; Samus competed in her Zero Suit, which gave the opportunity for people to interact with her. She didn’t appear to enjoy conversations that people had like flirting. However, Peach managed to invite her with Zelda for a night just for them. The princesses made Samus so intoxicated that she consented to have sex with Peach and Zelda. That day, Zelda secretly liked it but never told anyone else besides the ladies at the party. All of it just looked like none of it meant anything.

“That’s so strange,” the mage finally spoke in an unsatisfied tone. “You finally get to know Samus in the third tournament and spend a night with her by having sex. Now you’re in this tournament and you’re becoming nervous and act like you don’t know a single thing about her.”

“Come on,” Zelda whined a little. “You don’t have to be that harsh. Samus told us to not speak to each other because of that.”

“Well, now you have feelings for this woman.”

“I just don’t want her to crush my world,” Robin now felt guilty for making the Hylian feel so down. She already faced Lucina’s despair, so Zelda’s despair will not happen for her.

“You know what, Zelda,” the princess looked up at the tactician. “I’m going to help you pursue Samus.”

“You are?” Zelda’s tone was filled with happiness. Seeing Robin nod made her squeal and hug her as a result, “You’re the best!”

“Well, I have been called the best,” she humorously replied, making both ladies chuckle.

“So, what should we do?”

“Well, let’s go find Samus,” that response had brought her nerves back much stronger. Her heart was pumping vigorously and her right leg started shaking uncontrollably. “Wait, now?”

“Yeah, why not?” Robin responded playfully yet seriously at the same time. “Just kidding.”

“Stop scaring me!” Zelda shouted upsettingly, having her nerves alleviated. She lightly punched the tactician’s left shoulder.

“It’s dark, but tomorrow is the time. I think both of our teams will meet tomorrow for Multi-Man Smash. Oh, shit. I forgot,” she remembered something as well that would make things worse.

“What’s wrong?”

“Falco’s going to be there. He and Fox are in Multi-Man Smash tomorrow, too. He’s going to talk to me, so I can’t really help you.”

“Should we do it another time?”

“No, let’s practice on approaching to her right now,” Zelda had no reason to disagree, so she nodded her head to practice on the things she should say.

“I can start,” the Hylian had to take a deep breath and a quick eye-closing moment before beginning to speak. “Hey, Samus.”

“Eh, what is it, Zelda?” Robin replied in a Russian accent, just to mess around one more time before being completely serious.

“Hold on, Samus doesn’t speak in that accent,” Zelda was becoming annoyed by Robin’s excessive tomfoolery. “Please don’t mess around. I really want to ask her out.”

“I know,” the mage stopped being funny. She tried to respond if someone tried to be friendly towards her. “Hey, Zelda, what is it?”

“T-today’s competition was hectic, wasn’t it?” Zelda had shuttered due to her nervousness. She was visualizing Robin as Samus in order paint a better picture of what might happen.

“I suppose you do prove a point. Today’s competition was only a learning experience. That’s what we can do to get better.”

“You’re right,” Zelda paused before resuming speaking again. “Samus, I-I-I want to ask you something.”

“Speak away.”

“Um…uh…uh,” the Hylian was already losing confidence and words were barely forming out of her mouth. Now she was thinking about getting rejected rather than focusing on practicing her words. Soon she tried her best to speak clearly. “Do you w-want to go out with me sometime?”

“Like a date?”

“Y-yes.”

Robin analyzed everything that had happened in the conversation. She broke down Zelda’s words on how she said things and her tone in certain situations. To make sure, Zelda wasn’t being too worried; Robin kept her expression neutral and smile certain points. After finishing her analysis, she was ready to give advice and feedback.

“Alright, at least you managed to speak throughout this conversation,” Zelda nodded as she was more attentive on listening rather than responding. “Now, here are some things you should work on. First one is confidence. Samus would not like it if you speak shyly or with no confidence on any circumstances. Second, if you’re intent is to ask her out, well that is a risky thing. I don’t think you know her enough before taking her out on a date. So, what I suggest is just taking things slowly. You can give her a compliment tomorrow on her fighting skills or on her physical features. Just be mindful on what you say.”

“I see. Should I do this every time I see her?”

“Well, no. She’ll probably catch your pattern and will probably not like it. Do it once in a while. Really, just be yourself. Be nice, gentle and annoy the hell out of her.”

“I don’t want to annoy her.”

“I mean just talk to her after the competition and whenever you see her. The little things can make a huge difference.”

“Understood,” Zelda felt much better about her situation. Her heart was slowing down to its normal heartbeat pace. All she needed to do is practice until she was comfortable speaking to the bounty hunter. “Thank you so much, Robin. I really owe you a lot.”

“Save that when you actually become her girlfriend.”

“Yeah,” Zelda thought about if that actually happened. A smile crept on her face and her cheeks were visibly red.

“Ready to practice some more?”

“Yes.”

The next day was Multi-Man Smash for Robin’s team, Zelda’s team, Falco’s team, and Lucina’s team. Robin’s event was a simple event, 10-man and 100-man Smash. Those were time-based points: faster the time, the higher the score. She studied the algorithms of certain types of Mii fighters spawning at certain areas and tried to calculate which computerized fighters would appear during the quarterly periods. Zelda and Samus had to do three-minute Smash, hoping to get as many fighters as they can to secure the top 16 spot for round 2. Falco and Fox had to do Cruel Smash, which was the most difficult event for this round. Lucina and Palutena had to compete in Endless. The result for that event may or may not make things worse for their relationship.

Robin was preparing herself before commencing her 10-man event with the male tactician. She studied other double teams on their methods on defeating the Multi-Mii frames the quickest way possible. Based on the information she was gathering, the female mage got an idea to map out her game plan with her teammate and secure a fast time. Simultaneously, Robin felt nervous. She had to handle Lucina and Zelda’s personal issues. One was dealing with a breakup while the other was pursuing someone. There was much for her to deal with. In addition, Falco would be talking and flirting with her majority of the duration of the tournament. Stress was undoubtedly shrouding around her mental wellness. Hopefully, all of the things would not break her to a point of insanity.

Entering into the white room, Robin scoped the area to make sure Falco wasn’t there. Unfortunately, he was sitting down on one of the long-legged chairs, sipping on his tea. It also didn’t help that he was looking at her as well, looking like he was waiting for her to show up.

“Hey, Robin,” Falco spoke to her in a flirtatious manner as he was walking towards her slowly. “About time you finally showed up.”

“I wasn’t late at least,” she responded in an unhappy tone, shifting her eyes away from the ace pilot.

“But I don’t like to waste time with my girl,” he wrapped his right arm around the tactician’s shoulders.

“We wouldn’t want that now would we?” Robin decided to play along and pretended to act like she was romantically involved with him.

“Not especially for you, girl.”

Deep down, Robin wanted to stab herself to her demise. Everything Falco had said and how he said things were just unbearable for her to listen. It didn’t help since she never liked him ever since he called Lucina a clone.

“You are so caring. I’m glad you and I can get along well now we compromised.”

“Anything for my mage,” Falco leaned his head closer to Robin.

“Well, my event is coming up,” she said without staring at the pilot. “So I’m going to get ready.”

“And I’ll be getting ready for mine’s as well,” he took a few steps backward, leading to the exit door. “First, I’m going to get a snack.”

“Okay,” just when she was safe from Falco and was ready to walk away, the pilot wasn’t done.

“Once we’re done with our event, I’ll be waiting for you.”

As soon as he left, Robin tried her best to not vomit from the cringe of speaking to the pilot. Luckily, she managed to prevent herself from making a mess. Five minutes were left before she and her teammate had to perform their 10-man and 100-man trial. She looked at the current team’s match in the 10-man Smash. Sonic and Pac-Man were mostly relying on easy throws and strong attacks to kill the Mii fighters. However, they were not merely spamming their attacks; the duo strategically executed their moves precisely in order to get a faster time. Their time result was 6.35 seconds. It was definitely a strong time, but other teams clocked in better times by little.

As she broke down their playstyle analytically, somebody came up behind her. Luckily, it was not stranger. It was Lucina who wasn’t feeling all too content.

“Oh, hey, Lucy,” Robin greeted with a smile, trying not to express any negative vibes. “What’s up?”

“Hi, Robin,” the swordswoman replied in an unenergetic tone. Her head was tilted downward. Her eyes reflected the soulless expression of lost hope. Robin took notice and felt a shiver run down her entire body.

“What’s wrong, Lucina? Is there something that’s bothering you?” The mage was becoming worried as her focus shifted to her friend.

“It’s nothing, really,” she lied, trying not to show her deception. “I’m just a bit exhausted as all.”

Robin, knowing the swordswoman, knew she was not telling the truth. It wasn’t her feeling, but rather the way Lucina spoke. The words the blue-haired swordswoman sounded like they were not intentional. It felt unnatural. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” Lucina quickly responded, panicking at the situation a bit. “I would never lie to you, would I?”

“Normally, you wouldn’t,” the tactician played along before wanting to know the truth. “But with your personal love life, you do.”

“It’s not about Lady Palutena,” she angrily responded defensively. The volume of her voice was low enough so other Smashers would not hear the conversation. “You can’t just assume that!”

“I never did,” Robin countered back, which put Lucina into a bad situation. “I was making a guess and you proved me right.”

At that point, Lucina was at checkmate. She knew that lying further will only make things worse for her. It would alleviate the stress she had with her complicated relationship with the goddess. “OK, you caught on my deception.”

“At least I’m not mad,” Robin’s response was calm and friendly. At the same time, she was worried that she may not improve Lucina and Palutena’s relationship. “Would you be okay if you told me what’s wrong?”

Lucina told the entire situation about Palutena and Meta Knight’s horrendous encounter. She explained how she and the Star Warrior were having a good conversation until the goddess showed up to mess things up. The swordswoman admitted that she was growing fond of Meta Knight due to his noble character and respect towards her. Not only was he treating her well, Lucina hinted an interest towards him.

At that point, Robin’s heart was pounding rapidly. Each sound becoming louder and louder each time. Part of her world just fell apart from hearing Lucina saying she has some potential romantic interest for a Star Warrior. Yet another part of her thought she should be glad for her friend because she moved on and was trying to be happy again. Robin would reply that she would support Lucina no matter what.

However, she never said that.

“You can’t be serious about Meta Knight, right?”

Lucina, suddenly enraged by her friend’s shocking response, had this new expression that not only surprised herself but also Robin as well. “What the hell does that mean, Robin?”

“Oh, shit,” the mage thought to herself. She knew at that moment she screwed up hard. “I never meant to say that-“ she spoke before being interrupted by the swordswoman.

“I can’t believe you right now,” Lucina was ready to unleash all of her venting towards her best friend. Rationality was out of the window. It was overwhelmed by her emotions. “I tried my best to be friends towards you when you hated me. We were friends afterwards. I also went to get assistance from you when I didn’t have any encourage expressing my feelings for Palutena. You’ve supported me every time but now you stab me behind my back?!”

“It’s not like that, Lucy,” Robin attempted to argue back trying to hold back any tears. “It’s just that… that-“

“Explain.”

“I presumed that you and Palutena were going to be together throughout this tournament and beyond.”

“Oh, grow up,” Lucina responded harshly, sounding like she was disgusted by the mage’s statement. “It was never meant to be anyways. She always regarded me as a cl-“

“NO!” The tactician’s holler was heard around the white room, catching everyone’s attention in what was going on. Hoping rumors won’t spread, Robin grabbed Lucina’s hand and ran out the room to continue with the talk.

“You know it’s true,” the bluenette refrained from tearing up from awful memories.

“What I said there was something a bad friend would say,” Robin placed her hands on Lucina’s shoulders. “I just got hopeful because you found someone that made you happy. I should have been supportive of you when you wanted to pursue a new relationship with Meta Knight. You’ll see me by your side. This time I’m not going back on my word.”

“Do you really think that?” Lucina was still skeptical of the validity of the mage’s statements. She had to make sure that it was true to her heart.

“I’ll swear it,” Robin gave her bluenette friend a huge hug after feeling awful on nearly ruining their friendship.

“Alright, I’ll accept this,” she cracked a smile and hugged the tactician back. “Let’s go back to the competition.”

“Let’s do it,” Robin soon then had a huge sigh of relief after saving herself from the worst nightmare she could possibly have. She reached her sense of self and began planning the strategy for her event.

“Robin,” her male counterpart walked to her casually. “They called us next for our event. Let’s get going.”

“Ready when you are,” she replied excitedly, much to the male mage’s surprise.

“You’re unusually jovial,” he raised his eyebrows in suspicion.

“I’ll explain later. Let’s just kick some Mii ass.”

“Alright,” he was still watching the female tactician as they approached the teleportation pods. Robin felt confident that she and the male Robin could perform exceedingly well. If her predictions were to be true, then the odds that they will advance the next round were high.

The next thing they knew the Big Battlefield was present. The male mage was on the ground while the female counterpart was on the highest girder. The countdown to fight was nearing. Nerves weren’t a thing on Robin’s mind. She truly felt confident thanks to reconciling with Lucina. Soon the event began. The time was ticking faster in their perspective when it was really not. Avatar began charging his book while Robin started aggressively in her fighting style. She swiped her Levin sword in an upward motion after a Mii gunner appeared in above her. The power of the Levin sword sent the gunner upward towards the blast zone. Then a Mii brawler snuck up behind her. Using her quick wits, she swiftly turned around and grabbed her opponent. Robin threw the Mii downward, hopped to where the Mii was and slashed in an upward overhead motion. Two down on her part. The next thing she knew four Mii fighters were surrounding her partner. Robin quickly yet furtively maneuvered her way and struck three Miis with an outward thrust. Soon the male Robin finished the remaining swordfighter with the arcthunder. While the swordfighter was in stun, he ran past the enemy, jumped on the middle girder, and thrust his Levin sword vertically to end things. It was a good that he was able to calculate the trajectory and velocity of the knockback of arcthunder.

“Thanks for alleviating my situation,” he communicated to his partner while still combatting four others Miis.

“Who else is going to save you from disaster?” Robin humorously responded with a rhetorical question. After her response, she got a hold of the Mii brawler and heaved him vertically, which sent him all the way to the blast zone. She repeated the same process with the gunner in front of her. As soon as she finished her job, the male tactician completed his duty. Time was up. It ended unsurprisingly, but they want to know how fast they completed the task.

They returned to the white room for a short intermission. To their right, there was the result screen that showed the information on their trial. Robin hastily checked to see what their time was. To her disappointment, the time clocked 9.49. Although this was an adequate performance, it did not satisfy the female mage whatsoever.

“Exceptionally well for us,” the male Robin positively said as he cracked up a grin on his lips.

“It’s not good enough,” the female counterpart replied upsettingly.

“I do not comprehend why this is a horrendous performance from your perspective,” he tilted his head to the left in bewilderment. At the same time, he was a bit annoyed to hear no positivity from her.

“Sonic and Pac-Man got 6.35 seconds,” she argued. “We can definitely do better than that. We just need a better plan.”

At that point, the Avatar felt concerned about his teammate’s condition. Even though he was unaware of her helping Zelda with Samus, he believed he had put too much burden and stress on her. To see her behaving just beyond the normal, a sense of guilt began to grow on him. Usually, Robin was trying to turn negatives into positives when it comes to competition. Her response was out of the ordinary. It began the ignition of the male Robin feeling sympathy towards his counterpart.

“Do not worry,” he calmly answered back. “We got a few more chances to improve our times.”

“Seriously?!” She angrily hollered back. “What if we can’t?! We’ll fail and be eliminated from the tournament. I don’t want that to happen!”

“Relax,” he put his hands on her shoulders. “From here, I cannot possibly understand what you are going through outside of competition. However, what I can do is sympathize for any troubled conflicts you may have. You and I practically know each other the best out of anyone here. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to bring back the cool Robin I’d like to see. We can plan everything out and beat Sonic and Pac-Man’s time. We just have to be honest with each other.”

“Funny that you say that.”

“What do you mean?” He sounded irked by Robin’s demeanor.

“You settle a bet where I have to be with Falco and talk to him about every problem in my life… and THEN you’re telling me that you feel sorry for me?” Her response came out in an unforgiving tone.

“Well you didn’t feel that way when you insulted my former relationship with Lucina,” he retorted.

Before she made a rebuttal out of anger, she took a deep breath and tried to respond in a more calm and mature way. It took a couple of seconds for the female to answer. “I know. It was uncharacteristic of me to do that. I’m just… really stressed out on everything in my life. There is no reason for me to lash it out on you. Sor- no, I truly apologize for just being an ass.”

There was a brief silence between the two. A call was made for them that their next round was in a minute. The male Robin gestured to the official that he acknowledged the call. Robin, still anxious, was waiting for her male counterpart’s response. When he was still gathering information around him, she became concerned about how things would turn out. The next thing she knew, the male tactician petted his female counterpart’s hair, making her smile.

“You’re lucky that we’re making progress in recovering our conflicted relationship,” he finally answered in the most calming tone possible while grinning at the words he spoke.

“You are the best,” she punched back lightly on the male’s left shoulder. Her tone was content like how she would respond in her usual self.

“Let’s save that for later,” he faced the teleportation pods. “We have something to settle first.”

“Let’s do it,” both mages returned to the teleportation pods to commence their next trial, hoping to improve their first trial.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

After the entire event of 10-man and 100-man Smash, The Robins performed well above their expectations. The best result for their 10-man run was 7.14 seconds. Although Robin was displeased, she wasn’t too upset on the result. It was sufficient enough to be one of the qualified teams to advance to the second round. Their performance at the 100-man Smash was just as exceptional, if not better, than their 10-man Smash. They managed to time less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds, specifically 2 minutes and 17 seconds. As a result, they have definitively qualified for the second round. The odds that they would not advance further were virtually nothing at that point.

As for Pit and Dark Pit, they needed to perform outstandingly at the Endless Smash in order to qualify for the second round. They currently stood at 18th place. In order to not be eliminated, they must kill at least 213 Miis in order to secure a spot in the next round as they were one of the few teams remaining to complete everything in the first round.

Lucina and Palutena, on the other hand, were struggling in the tournament. Their Endless Smash ended terribly for them as they barely had 100 kills against the Miis. Many other teams significantly outperformed them by at least 50 kills. That margin alone was a large detriment to them, placing them further behind the competition. They were currently ranked at 23rd. In order for them to qualify, they had to exceed expectations in Cruel Smash, which was notorious for numerous teams to struggle to do well. Very few teams managed to kill over 5 Miis. Getting at least that many would give them the best chance.

Smashers were having doubts for Palutena and Lucina. Some observed how they were performing in other events like Target Blast, Home-Run Contest, and Endless Smash. They could not believe how terrible the two had played. Target Blast and Home-Run Contest appeared as though they had no drive to compete. It was not that they were careless in the tournament; they felt hopeless. Endless Smash, however, was not as awful compared to the other two. 176 Miis were beaten, which kept them alive in the competition. Otherwise, they would have been eliminated from the first round. Only a few knew why Palutena and Lucina were doing so badly in the tournament.

Ever since the terrifying confrontation after the 3-minute Smash and the situation with Meta Knight, the two women barely interacted with each other. They would head into an event and then be separated from each other right after. Whenever they do interact, it was just awkward. Dead silence surrounded the two and neither wanted to speak to each other. Many competitors postulated why the two behaved the way they did. One simple interpretation may be a strong dislike for each other. The actual reason was a number of factors: the break-up, Lucina and Meta Knight, and the negative interactions between the goddess and the swordswoman during their tournament. Their personal lives had gotten them in the way of performance in the competition.

They were in the white room as the final day of the first round was coming to an end. Several teams had one last shot in securing the few spots for the second round. All of those teams needed to give their best efforts in hopes of the winning the Smash-thlon tournament.

The blue-haired swordswoman entered the room with her usual battle attire. In the past couple of days, a series of drama and stress weighed upon her. There were times whenever she messed up on her executions in events, Palutena would criticize her harshly. Lucina would not respond to any of the words her ex-girlfriend had said. She would also reciprocate to the greenette if she made an error in fighting. After a day of competition came to an end, she would meet up with the Star Warrior and expressed everything she felt towards Palutena. She recalled one moment that she felt profoundly closer with him.

_It was after the Home-Run contest. All four trials were completed. The results were not impressive for them. Their furthest distance as a team was only 2435.8 feet. Individually, Lucina’s score was 1624.5 ft. while Palutena’s score was 1797.2 feet. It had damaged them mentally as they went down from 11 th place to 19th place. The chances for their progression decreased tremendously. Palutena, in particular, was not pleased._

_“Lucina, we need to talk,” the goddess spoke in a serious tone. “I’m not letting you walk away this time.”_

_Lucina was silent, afraid of what was going to happen to her. She expected for the worst to come._

_“Did you not hear me?!” She grabbed the bluenette’s right arm tightly, refusing to loosen her grip. “I want to speak to you.”_

_“I…” Lucina attempted to muster up a sentence but the fear of backlash prevented her to do so._

_“Make a coherent sentence, Lucina!” Her tone was becoming angrier and more antagonistic._

_“I… don’t want to,” was the first thing that came out of her mouth. Her tone was fearful and felt petrified._

_“Why not?!” The goddess responded with her grasp becoming even tighter. “I just want to talk about us.”_

_“It’s not a good time for that topic,” the swordswoman tried her best to escape the goddess’s grasp. “Can we talk about it later?”_

_“No, I want to talk about it now, and I mean it!”_

_“Stop! Lady Palutena, you’re hurting me!”_

_“I…” tears were coming out of Palutena’s eyes. She didn’t want the woman that she liked to completely leave her. Her grip was still consistent. “Just don’t want you to leave me. I…”_

_“Palutena, cease your cruelty to Lucina immediately!” A Star Warrior fiercely commanded the goddess to stop her actions. He even had his sword adjacent to the greenette’s left leg, willing to maim her if something were to happen to the bluenette. “No person shall ever harm my fair lady.”_

_Palutena released her grip on Lucina. The hand marks of the goddess covered where the swordswoman’s right forearm was._

_“I’m so sorry, Meta Knight and Lucina. I shouldn’t have done that,” she ran off, mostly likely to her room._

_“Thank you for breaking the confrontation between Lady Palutena and me,” Lucina graciously thanked the Star Warrior for his noble efforts. She knelt down on her left knee and lowered her head in appreciating his actions._

_“I shall make sure nothing comes to harm to my princess,” Meta Knight held the swordswoman’s right hand and placed a quick kiss after unmasking his face._

_“That’s very nice of you,” Lucina responded, back to her normal self without being fearful. It was as if she regarded the hand kiss as completely normal. She didn’t mind it at all._

_“Competition hasn’t been great for you, hasn’t it?”_

_“Lady Palutena hasn’t been too kind of me,” Lucina admitted without guilt. However, she still wouldn’t tell the Star Warrior that she and the goddess used to date. “Just as we were getting closer to becoming friends, everything went to hell. I just don’t know why. We can never interact with each other because of it.”_

_“Sometimes, you can’t always be friends with everyone. As much as we all dislike the sound of that, it is unfortunately true. It is better to be with people who truly care about you,” he leaned closer to the swordswoman and placed his mask on Lucina’s forehead. “As I deeply care for you, fair princess, Lucina.”_

_“You are truly a noble knight.”_

_Both shared a small laughter and spent the rest of the day together._

Even remembering that one moment, it always brought Lucina a smile even on her worst days. At the same time, Lucina, deep down, felt conflicted in her situation. Should she give Palutena one more chance, or pursue a potentially better relationship with Meta Knight? She still needed time before she could truly follow the path she wanted to seek.

“Lucina,” that voice gave Lucina the chills. It crept to her without a warning. The fear instantly hit her back.

Palutena was calling her. Lucina felt unsure about what the goddess wanted to talk about it. One thing that came into mind was about their relationship. However, the bluenette noticed that the goddess appeared to have a small grin on her face. Maybe there was hope for the two women? She’ll have to find out.

“Lady Palutena?” The swordswoman asked curiously as she approached to the goddess on the couch cautiously. She still was scared of how the greenette would talk to her. “Is… there something you want to talk about?”

“I want to talk about… us,” Lucina had a feeling that she asked that. “Is that… okay with you?”

“Umm,” the bluenette fidgeted her fingers, feeling uneasy talking about the subject she had trouble speaking out about. “I’m not sure, Lady Palutena. Our final trial is about to commence and our previous relationship-“

She was interrupted by the goddess’s index finger, which covered Lucina’s lips. “I understand.” The greenette tried her best to not let her emotions get the best of her in compromising with the bluenette. “I know I haven’t been treating you well.”

“It’s too obvious,” Lucina retorted, with a slight tone of discontent. Soon that discontent escalated into emotional anger. “Every single time I make a small error, you immediately resort to harsh criticism. Whenever you wanted to talk to me, you become so impatient that you become agitated and angry if I ever say I don’t to talk about it. There several times where you would get physical. You never seem to respect my decisions ever since we broke up. For you to say that as the first thing in this conversation is just so upsetting to me.”

The swordswoman felt the biggest relief on her chest. All of that stress seemed to have disappeared from her. Now she felt she could perform much better than she had ever done in the past couple of days.

The goddess, on the other hand, resisted the temptation to respond the way Lucina described it: agitation and infuriation. At the same time, she knew she had done wrong on many occasions with her ex-girlfriend. Lucina had every right to say what she wanted to say to Palutena. After being silent for days, the blue-haired swordswoman finally had spoken out against the emerald-haired goddess.

“This is why I wanted to talk to you,” she admitted without being overly emotional. “I want to compromise our problem and make sure we are on good terms again. I want us to be back together without this drama.”

“I feel the same way,” Lucina grinned, glad to hear that the goddess was recognizing her own faults. “Let’s resolve the issue and be friends again.”

“Yeah…” Palutena’s tone hinted a slight disappointment with the way the swordswoman had worded her answer. Lucina didn’t catch that. “We can do that.”

“I should’ve said something a while back,” she regretted the actions she took by being silent majority of the time. “Otherwise, we would never have to deal with something this problematic.”

“No, Lucy,” the goddess tried to give another hint on her true intentions behind the compromise by putting a little emphasis on Lucina’s nickname. She also placed both hands on the bluenette’s shoulders. Both women stared at each other. Lucina saw Palutena’s eyes and thought they can still be friends once again. Palutena, on the other hand, thought of something else. She saw the swordswoman’s beauty and wanted to be with her again. “As long as we initiate a conversation, nothing else matters.”

“You’re right,” Lucina smiled back, feeling extremely better than she ever did. The last time she felt this well was when she and Palutena shared their first kiss together after dating for some time. “Friends?”

“Friends,” Palutena reluctantly agreed after trying so hard to tell her how she really felt about Lucina. Seeing the official signaling that the Cruel Smash was about to commence, the goddess faced her former dating partner. “We should get going. Here’s our last shot at qualifying for the next round.”

“Pittoo,” the white-winged angel greeted his doppelgänger in the white room. “We’re almost up for Endless Smash.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the black-winged angel unenthusiastically acknowledged the memo. “I’m a bit nervous, if I was to be honest.”

“Same,” Pit changed his expression from excitement to worry. “The tournament is very competitive. There are many teams that are really good. And… there are some that just aren’t.”

Based on his tone, Dark Pit had an idea on what his doppelganger meant by that. He believed that if Pit had just understood how Palutena felt whenever she was Lucina when they were dating, then things could have work out well. “Exactly who are these other teams that aren’t good?”

“The ones who are in bottom of the competition,” was the first part of his answer. He hesitated if he should even say the second part of his response. “If I tell you about one particular team, will you tell this to anyone?”

“I won’t,” Dark Pit swore on his behalf that nothing would spread.

“Let’s talk outside,” the two exited the white room and were outside behind the back entrance of the mansion. They were near the fountain where Robin assisted Lucina in trying to ask out Palutena. “Just to be sure, you won’t tell anyone?”

“My hands are not crossed,” he displayed his hands in front at Pit to prove his point. “I am all ears.”

“Okay,” the white angel still felt bad about saying this, but he believed what he believed. “I don’t want Lady Palutena to advance further in this tournament with Lucina.”

Dark Pit easily knew his doppelganger would say that. He replied with all honesty, “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

“I just can’t imagine how Lady Palutena ended up dating Lucina,” Pit admitted with such disbelief.

Part of the dark angel wanted to slap him for thinking something so trivial, but he thought for a moment that it would be a poor choice to do so. Instead, he calmly asked, “Why do you think that?”

“Lady Palutena had looked out for me on many occasions. She always thought about me and cared for me. It gave me a reason to live and fight to protect Angel Land.”

While Pit’s words were moving, Dark Pit didn’t believe that was the whole story. There was something more to it than it appeared to be. “There’s more to it.”

“What?”

“First, what about others who dated your goddess? Don’t you feel the same way?”

“No,” he refuted. “They could work things out and still look out for me.”

“Hmm,” he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Pit seemed irritated by Dark Pit’s little laughter.

“Seems selfish that you’re okay with your goddess dating other deities _if_ only they took care of you like how Palutena took care of you.”

“You think I’m selfish?” He angrily responded. “That’s not true. I think about how Lady Palutena would-“

“Please,” Dark Pit scoffed. “Your goddess was happy with Lucina ever since they dated. Now actually listen, punk. Lucina was the only one that Palutena felt she can develop a deep and real relationship compared to the other deities. Since you took that away from them, she can never be happy about having a close attachment for someone other than Lucina. I don’t understand why you would be so upset about this? I thought you would be happy for her.”

“It’s just that-“

“Hold on,” Dark Pit interrupted again, which annoyed Pit. The dark angel may have an idea about Pit’s strange behavior. “You don’t want to be left by yourself again like when your parents-“

“Don’t… bring them into this, Pittoo,” Pit brandished the bow and switched into twin blades. That was the one thing the white angel refused to even think about. It was very personal to him and wanted to keep it that way.

“No,” he stood front with his bow in case if he had to defend himself. “You’re scared that if your goddess and Lucina had a stronger bond, then they will spend their lives together without you in the picture. You think she’ll leave you, and you’ll be by yourself without a motherly or fatherly figure to look out for you. Because you didn’t have much parental love growing up, you don’t want to lose the one who has been the closest to bring that parental love to you.”

“I hate you right now,” Pit said as water ran from his eyes. Even though he said that, Dark Pit didn’t feel it was a personal attack on him. He knew the white angel did not mean every single word. Pit knew that the doppelganger was right about why he felt that way when he learned about Palutena and Lucina’s relationship. “I’m… really scared that I will have no one to look up to. I’ll just be alone without anyone to trust and be loyal with.”

“I’m not the kind of person to say this but,” he walked closer to his light counterpart and stood face-to-face with him. “I’m sure your goddess will never leave you behind. Why do you think she thought about you when she was with Lucina? She still cares and wants you to be in her life. She trusts you, and you both share a profound mutual bond. It’s not like once they get married, they’ll forget about everyone else. They still want to interact with others and be friends with them. Why would they leave the people they care about just so the two can be together? Right now, they have a hard time talking to each other. I just hope they can work things out. Maybe you can help out if you understand.”

“Wow,” he was astonished by his darker self on being so considerate and helpful. He cracked a smile, which alleviated Dark Pit’s worries. “Robin surely affected you in a positive way, am I right?”

“Shut up,” he turned away to cover his blush. To be fair, Pit had a point. Robin’s compassionate and positive nature did have an influence in Dark Pit’s developing chracter. “She’s still cool to me.”

“I think you two would be cute together,” Pit had to mess with him one last time before returning to the white room for the competition. “By the way, thanks, Pittoo… for sorting things out with my problems.”

“Don’t sweat it,” he answered back, swinging his right hand downwards as a gesture. “At least we got everything settled.”

“Yeah, we should get going.”

“Let’s give it our all.”

The two returned to the white room where an official had called Pit and Dark Pit to commence their first Endless Smash trial. They had four chances in order to qualify for the second round of the tournament. If they were to fail, their journey would come to an end. As they were inside the teleportation pods both angels stood across from each other, determined to succeed regardless of the drama outside of competition.

Now on Big Battlefield, Pit was on the right side of the lowest girder while Dark Pit was on the opposite side. A voice was counting down from three. This was their time, their time to make it or break it. No backing down now.

Six Mii fighters: Brawler, Gunner, and Swordfighter, appeared in their respective areas. As soon as they did, the two angels sprang into action. Pit grabbed a gunner, threw the gunner downwards, jumped towards his opponent’s direction, and did a series of buzzsaw-like slashes. It wasn’t enough to send the gunner out of the blast zone, so he continued to fly towards the same gunner and repeated the same attack again. That time it was enough to kill the gunner. As he was finding a safe spot to land, a swordfighter and a brawler were waiting for him. The white angel responded by swinging in a downward arc with one blade on his right hand. While they were in the air, he swung three upward slashes. It was strong enough to send the two Miis out of the stage.

“Is that all you got?” He taunted, thinking that killing over 200 Miis would be a piece of cake.

More Mii fighters continued to respawn with an equal amount of gunners, brawlers, and swordfighters regardless of who got eliminated first or not. Pit then used his Interception Arm to blast the respawning Miis upward, almost at a ninety degree trajectory. Luckily, the attack was strong enough for the Miis to not return to the stage.

Dark Pit had a different approach in defeating the Mii fighters. The dark angel slashed once in a horizontal position with one blade before swinging the other blade. He repeated the same procedure several times before switching to another strong attack. The next move he executed was a stab to the ground before swinging again but this time behind him. In this scenario, Dark Pit had to bait out other Mii fighters to approach him, so he would strike back when many of them were extremely close to him.

“Pittoo,” Pit said to his doppelganger as he fought some Mii fighters simultaneously. “You don’t have to continuously use the same move. It’ll get weaker every time you consecutively repeat it.”

“Nah,” he humorously disobeyed as he kept doing the same moves over again. “It kills quicker and gives us numbers.”

“Don’t you think they’ll catch on to your habits?”

“They haven’t adapted to how I fight, so I don’t see it as a problem.”

Pit sighed, irritated that the dark angel had that stubbornness inside him. Admittedly, Pit knew that the dark angel was his opposite self, but sometimes the white angel felt that Dark Pit was just a different person. It may not be a smart thing to believe, but it was merely a passing thought.

Several minutes have passed. Both angels took a beating as the event became tougher. The Miis weren’t just body bags now; they fought as formidable foes to a point where they could adapt to their opponent’s fighting playstyle. At that point, Dark Pit decided to employ strategic fighting in order to mix up his attacks. It was working for him since he wasn’t as predictable as he was in the beginning. It made Pit worry less about his teammate because the chances of achieving the target kill became definitively possible.

205 Miis down, eight more for a spot in qualifying for the second round. The damage that both angels took was devastating. Both had over 150% damage, meaning one mistake could be fatal. They had to fight perfectly in order to stay alive. If they succeed, the remaining three trials would not be a problem to them whatsoever. Should they fail, one of the three remaining chances had to be successful.

“Pittoo, we’re almost there,” the white angel said to the dark angel vociferously. “We can do it!”

“As long you’re not in the way, it’ll be over quickly,” he jokingly answered back. Pit chuckled at his doppelganger’s humor.

Six Miis on the stage, both angels fought valiantly but were cautious in their fighting. Dark Pit noticed how he and Pit were fighting solo, which was why reaching over 200 Miis seemed like a difficult mission. As soon as he made that revelation, he had to communicate to the white angel without the Miis actually hearing it. He had a plan, which was a huge risk to even think about. Dark Pit decided to maneuver and dodge every attack the Miis threw at him. He continuously escaped every hit until at least four of them were all together. Pit began noting it as he kept his guard up against a brawler and a swordfighter.

“What is Pittoo doing?” He wondered as that question remained a mystery in his mind.

Although Pittoo wasn’t directly making eye contact at Pit, he managed to see him from his peripheral vision. Everything was according to plan. Once that was in stone, he directly stared at the white angel who looked back as well.

“Come on,” Dark Pit thought to himself, hoping that his doppelganger understood what he was going for without speaking at all. “You know where I’m getting at.”

After a brief moment, Pit connected the pieces together and evaded his opponents to Dark Pit.

“Perfect,” Dark Pit smiled as he was at the end of the left side of the stage. The four Mii fighters were ready to deliver the final blow. However, he jumped back, forcing them to walk closer to the ledge to see where he went.  Where Pit was, he did the same thing but remained there a little longer, so the two Miis went to the larger group to join them, thinking Pit was gone. Then, Dark Pit jumped back up and charged towards the Miis with his Electroshock Arm. All six Miis were sent back at a 43 degree angle. While they were in stun, Pit hopped towards where they were and delivered the Upperdash Arm sending all six Miis upwards towards the blast zone. None of them survived.

“Ah yeah, Pittoo,” Pit cheered and celebrated for the teamwork they did without saying a single word to each other. “That was some awesome teamwork.”

“Don’t let your guard down,” he warned him.

“Don’t worry about it, we can finish this no-“

A single slash by a swordfighter who respawned behind Pit sent him flying towards the blast zone, ending his fight. All that was left was Dark Pit, who had to kill off only two Miis just to secure a spot in the second round.

“Crap,” he said to himself. Sweat fell on the sides of his face, feeling much more nervous in the battle. His heart was pounding harder than Bowser’s double kick on Diddy Kong.

The swordfighter charged at him. Dark Pit had side dodged to avoid the attack. However, the Mii read the dodge and swung the blade downward and inward. Quick on his feet, Pittoo used his shield to block the foe’s attack. He grabbed the swordfighter, spun around, and slammed the Mii on the ground behind him. Dark Pit chased him down by spinning his bow in a horizontal motion multiple times, knowing that the swordfighter would not come back. As he was flying back towards the stage, Dark Pit saw a brawler jumping offstage to spike him downwards. The Mii brawler flip kicked in an upward motion before finishing off with an axe kick that sent the brawler in a fast vertical downward motion. Dark Pit, in response to the oncoming attack, tried to dodge it in the air. Even though that was what he originally thought of doing, he had another idea. He used his Guardian Orbitars, which somehow push the brawler away from him while sending to its doom. Although it was successful, Dark Pit was met with the same move by another Mii brawler, ending the trial for both angels.

Dark Pit returned to the white room, feeling exhausted from the battle he endured. He had no clue if he and Pit had achieved the targeted goal or was very close to it.

“Pittoo,” Pit walked to his doppelganger, feeling anxious to see if they got what they needed to advance to the next round. “Did we get it?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, placing his right hand over his head and rubbing to ease the pain. “That kick from the Mii really hurts.”

“I wonder where the results are going to-“

“Angel!” Robin ran up to the dark angel and gave him a surprise hug. A huge grin came across from her face, giving the white angel a good signal. Obviously, she was watching the match since she and the male Robin already advanced to the second round. “You are amazing!”

“What did I do?” He inquired, confused and lost by the tactician’s words.

“The use of the Guardian Orbitars offstage was so smart,” as the flashback of the trial’s final seconds was reminiscent in his mind. “That got you guys in.”

“In what?”

“Into the second round,” from that moment on, Pit and Dark Pit looked at each other and were shocked in amazement to hear that they had secured a spot in qualifying for the second round in the tournament.

“Pittoo!” Pit exclaimed jovially as he patted his teammate on the back. “You are the MVP!”

“It was just a Guardian Orbitar,” Dark Pit downplayed his actions, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. “It’s not like I would’ve lost my life.”

“Please,” Robin disagreed while still content. “It was better than a simple air dodge.”

“Well, at least the other trials won’t be a problem to us.”

“That’s right,” she said before giving another hug to her dark angel once again. “I’m so glad that you’re still in this competition.”

“Same to you, Robin,” Dark Pit hugged his tactician back, feeling warm because she was happy for him. Pit was behind Robin and faced Dark Pit. He gave double thumbs up, messaging that Dark Pit should just ask her out right now. The doppelganger widened his eyes in embarrassment and displeasure. He mouthed, “Not now, you idiot.”

Dark Pit and Pit had relaxed after completing their three other trials. They hardly tried to go for numbers; they instead practiced on their teamwork and combos. It was a strong progress but more work could be done. Lucina and Palutena were next for their final event to determine if they qualify for the next round.

Meanwhile, a bounty hunter and a Hylian princess were done for their competition. Samus decided to clean up before heading back out to study other teams for the competition. Zelda walked with Samus to her room, trying to have a conversation to prevent an awkward, silent walk. They talked about mostly about the tournament and giving each other pieces of advice to make sure that both of them would never lose their focus.

“Our events didn’t seem to be too hard,” Zelda told Samus, thinking over how the competition had them in the lead without any problem.

“It’s still too early in competition,” Samus said, trying not to make any early conclusions based on the first round of the Smash-thlon. “The real fight is coming up, so we can’t let our guards down.”

“Good point,” the princess agreed. She was a bit nervous on asking the bounty hunter that they can study other teams together. “Samus?”

“What is it, Zelda?” She responded with slight curiosity.

“Once you clean up, do you want to meet up… just to study other competitors?” The latter was rushed, just to hide her intentions.

“I don’t mind that at all,” she cracked a small smile, giving the princess a feeling of happiness inside. “It’s always enjoyable being around with you.”

“Do you really mean that?” Zelda asked while being so anxious. Her heart was pounding to a point where she thought Samus could hear it from where she was standing.

“Why shouldn’t I?” She retorted, thinking that Zelda’s question was silly to ask. “I really like you, Zelda.”

“As a friend, right?”

“As a friend,” the bounty hunter repeated part of the princess’s question to confirm her answer. She kept the small grin on her face while concealing another expression. “I should probably clean up now.”

“I’ll see you in a short amount of time.”

“I’ll let you know,” the two departed for a brief period before meeting up again.

“Oh my,” Zelda thought to herself, panicking from what she said to her crush. “I didn’t friend zone myself with Samus, right? I didn’t just ruin my chance, right? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I need to find Robin. Maybe she’ll know.”

Samus, on the other hand, leaned her body towards the door but only her forehead touched it. Her facial expression revealed melancholy and disappointment. She thought that saying how she felt towards Zelda was going to be easy, but it ended up becoming nerve-wrecking for her. Samus placed her right fist on her chest, feeling the slow heartbeat that resonated sadness.

“I can’t believe I couldn’t do it,” she criticized her poor confidence as she hit the door with her forehead lightly. “Now Zelda thinks we’re just going to be friends.”

She stood there for a couple of minutes, questioning on what to do with her situation with Zelda. Usually, she would handle things by herself because that was how she preferred it. However, this time she believed that getting help for this situation was a beneficial idea. The only problem was who to talk to. Peach was the first person that came into mind. It didn’t seem to be too bad of an idea since she knew not just the bounty hunter but also Zelda very well. She also thought that the pink-dressed princess might talk about it to the Hylian princess, which was something she didn’t want to happen. There may be others who could help, but she’ll have to keep searching.

“Zelda,” Samus quietly said to herself, closing her eyes to imagine the beautiful Hylian in front of her. “If only you felt the same way as I feel towards you.”


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

It was time for Palutena and Lucina to compete in Cruel Smash, one last chance to qualify for the second round or be eliminated from the tournament. By failing to advance, their relationship could become worse. Although they reconciled as friends, it may abruptly shatter into pieces, making their reconciliation seem futile.

As the two women stepped into the teleportation pods across from each other, Meta Knight was standing just outside of the teleportation pods. He gazed at the swordswoman, hoping she would look back. Lucina saw the Star Warrior on the right of where she was standing. A smile crept across her face. She waved her right hand to message that she acknowledged his presence and support for her. Palutena saw how the two swordfighters interacted. A melancholy expression appeared on her face. Her heart ached but it wasn’t too severe. A hint of jealousy sparked inside her. She knew she wasn’t to feel this way but Palutena still had some affection towards Lucina. It was an unfortunate time for this to happen as the toughest event was about to commence.

While other events were at Big Battlefield, this particular event took place at the Battlefield stage everyone knew. The stage selection was part of the reason why teams struggled to score proficiently. However, the goddess and the swordswoman still had a probable chance of progressing further in tournament. Their teamwork was put to test. This was to show what they were made of.

“3, 2, 1, GO!” The match had begun. Instead of six Miis showing up, five Miis only appeared on the stage. The team consisted of one gunner, two brawlers, and two swordfighters. These Miis were programmed to be aggressive and brutal yet not merciful. Palutena was on the right side of the girder while Lucina was on the opposite side. The bluenette attempted to space out her enemies with her downward slash while being in the air simultaneously. However, one brawler would be the guinea pig and shield Lucina’s attack while another brawler ran to grab the swordswoman at the perfect moment when she landed. That Mii had karate chopped her to the ground, sending her in a vertical motion. The other Mii executed two spinning kicks to extend their team combo. The first hit was able to drag Lucina downwards near the ledge. The first brawler that grabbed her did it again, which the second Mii quickly reacted to the swordswoman’s direction and swung both fists below him in a double axe handle. Lucina was sent downwards, but luckily her damage wasn’t too high enough for her to be sent into the void beneath the stage. The bluenette hopped once to regain her momentum. She then saw a brawler come down at her to execute the same move again. Instinctively, she positioned her sword next to her face and in a downward angle. A parry occurred and the Mii had to recover back on the stage. However, another brawler perfectly timed his jump and repeated the same double fist meteor smash, sending Lucina into the void.

“Lucina!” Palutena yelled, saddened that her ex-girlfriend was beaten so easily. Now, the goddess was up against five ruthless Mii fighters. She glided towards the group and rammed them with her blue, round shield. It collided with a gunner who was sent not very far. However, the remaining Miis all shielded her attack and began punishing her attack for it. The next thing she knew, a series of special attacks came at her. Palutena could not do a single thing to escape any of their attacks. At several points, she felt one of the Miis had their foot on her head, tumbling her down to the ground while unable to act out of it. Then a powerful downward and inward slash from a swordfighter knocked her bacl at a high velocity, unable to return to the stage.

Both women returned to the white room without managing to get a single kill off of any of the Miis they fought. Neither was satisfied with their performance at all. Hopelessness came back to them harder than ever. At that point, both felt that the competition for them was futile.

“I know I did not perform outstandingly well,” Lucina said in a monotone while looking down and closing her eyes. “Just don’t criticize me.”

“Lucina,” Palutena lifted the swordswoman’s chin up, gazing at her complexion. “This is a difficult challenge for us. I don’t want to harshly criticize you for what happened. I just want to go over what our game plan should be.”

“You’re right,” she calmed down after hearing the goddess’s polite tone. Realizing that the greenette was still touching her chin, Lucina stepped back, feeling sheepish about their interaction. “I’m sorry; sir Meta Knight would question me if he were to figure out about our past.”

Palutena, on the inside, felt envy that the bluenette thought about the Star Warrior. She refrained herself from causing a scene in the white room and kept the same expression as she had. “Oh, I shouldn’t have done that. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

“No,” she agreed. Speaking of the devil, Meta Knight walked towards where the two women stood. He appeared to have something to say to the Ylisse princess. “He’s here. I should be with him at the moment.”

“Go ahead,” the emerald-haired goddess’s tone was slightly heartbreaking. She still had not been over the swordswoman. However, the goddess still tried to move on from the break-up. She should be happy that her former dating partner found someone else to be happy with.

“I can tell you’re not feeling well,” a voice that Palutena hardly recognized. When she turned to who was talking to her, it was Robin. She pondered why the tactician would approach her at this moment. “We can talk outside if you like?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” after a quick glance at Lucina and Meta Knight, she walked with the female mage just outside of the white room. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone in the hallways, so no one could overhear their conversation. Also, the white room was soundproof from the inside and outside, which made private conversation better. “What do you want from me?”

“I think you already know what the topic pertains to,” Palutena knew this was about Lucina. She didn’t want to talk about it because it would just bring back the image of Lucina and Meta Knight. It was already mentally hurting her.

“Can we leave that behind us?” The goddess became defensive and tried to deflect to another topic of discussion. “I already moved on from her.”

“Okay,” the tactician nonchalantly responded and shrugged her shoulders without a single care before walking away. The next thing she knew, she felt Palutena’s embrace behind her. It wasn’t an attraction but in agony.

“I try so hard to move on from my relationship from Lucina,” the greenette began to tear up and had a tough time speaking fluently. “Every time… I see Lucina with Meta Knight, I feel like she’s happier with him than me. No one ever came close to having a deep relationship other than her. If I can’t do that with a mortal, then…then…I have to accept the fact… that I’m… meant to be alone.” 

“No, that’s what a terrible deity would say,” Robin tried to snap Palutena’s melancholy out of her. She placed both of her hands on the goddess’s arms to feel sympathy for her. “You’re well respected and loved by not just people from your homeland but also everyone here. They venerate your caring and compassionate personality. Not to mention being a little humorous from time to time. There is someone out there who’s right for you. You’ll know when you meet that person.”

“I’ve lost that hope when Lucina and I broke up,” there was a strange moment that Robin felt. The goddess appeared to have accepted her fate and turned away. “I’m sorry for being vulnerable. I should get back to the competition.”

Her tone was filled with no emotion and bleakness. It caught Robin by surprise. The tactician became concerned with what she had done. She may have ruined Palutena’s chances of being with someone for the rest of her life. The greenette returned to the white room while Robin had her hands on her head, freaking out over what she had done.

“Robin! There you are. I’ve been looking all over you,” she recognized that that was the Hylian princess’s delicate voice. Zelda noticed Robin’s unusual expression and inquired what was wrong. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” she revealed without fabricating anything. Her head was tilted downward. Her eyes were closed, feeling completely ashamed of the choices she had been making recently. “I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.”

“Robin, you can talk about what’s wrong with me, if you like.”

“Zelda, thanks,” she crept a small grin on her face. Before saying everything she had to speak about, she took a deep breath to calm her psyche. “Palutena has lost all hope on being with someone for the rest of her life. Ever since she saw how Lucina and Meta Knight have been, she saw herself as a loner and a failure as a goddess. And then, the way she said her words sounded like they had no meaning. All hope is lost for her. And I fucked it up by talking about it. Why do I have to risk so much in prying into people’s business?”

“Seems to me you were only helping her out?” The Hylian downplayed the tactician’s choices.

“I was,” she admitted, shaking her head and regretting her actions. “I only wanted Palutena to have her head up and look to the future. I hate saying how there is someone else out there who is meant for her; I feel like now that it is just some false hope masqueraded as a light on someone’s darkest time.”

At first, Zelda didn’t know how to respond to a disheartening statement. For her, she found Samus to be attractive and wanted to improve their relationship. Concerning thoughts came across on her mind: What if she and Samus will not be together? What if their relationship shatters because of it?

“Don’t speak of such pessimism,” the princess shook off her concerns. “You were trying to help out whatever you can. You can do so much. It is unfortunate that we cannot fix all the wrongs around us. We can do so much and witness the end result. Robin, you did your part. Now it’s their turn to change their fate.”

“It’s not enough. I help out as much as I can but it always gets worse because of me.”

“Stop saying such negativity about yourself! Would you be here if the choices you made were different? Along the way, you’ve done things not only make others happy but yourself as well. We all have our ups and downs. But we can learn from our mistakes. That way, we grow and become better ourselves.”

Hearing those words from Zelda made the mage feel slightly better. She still was not too content with the current situation. “Thank you ,Zelda, for making me feel better. I needed to hear that.”

“I’m always here if you need help with anything else.”

“Let’s head back. Our competition is not over.”

The Hylian princess nodded in agreement before returning to compete in their respective events. As Robin was walking back, she pondered about Zelda’s words. She was not in full agreement with everything she was saying. The tactician still wanted Palutena and Lucina to be together. She had reasons for it. The biggest reason was how Palutena felt when she said Lucina was the closest person to ever have a long-lasting relationship. She could tell by how the swordswoman, before the breakup, talked about how happy she was in the relationship. Robin decided to continue attempting to get the two back together without being overly committed to it. She still needed to keep her distance and maintain her sanity. It was a risk to take because Palutena and Lucina’s relationship was terminated. Having them get back together can lead to unwanted commitment. It was a dice she was willing to roll.

The qualifiers were coming to an end. The top 16 teams appeared to be secured. Robin’s team had placed their spot into the next round. Pit and Dark Pit have also secured their spot as well. Palutena and Lucina, on the other hand, were less likely to advance to the next round. Their only chance of progressing further in the tournament was managing to get over 7 Mii kills in cruel Smash. Taking 5 Miis in Cruel Mode is known to be difficult. With 7, it looked improbable. Their first trial was poor. It made their three other trials seem not worth the try.

Their second attempt was slightly better only because they managed to get one kill. However, their teamwork was lackluster. They fought Miis individually rather than as a duo. Their third attempt was the same result as the second trial. Both women were not sure what was going wrong. Their chances of going further in the tournament were nothing. Right as they were ready to start their final trial, Robin decided to interject with Lucina in order to give some positivity within her.

“Lucy,” Robin called and signaled her friend to meet her outside of the white room. “I need to a minute to talk.”

Lucina nodded and met up with the tactician. She had a good feeling what her friend wanted to talk about.

“I know the topic you want to discuss,” the swordswoman flatly said, showing little interest in engaging in the conversation. “There’s no reason for me to hear any statements about Lady Palutena and me.”

“That may be the case,” she had no regrets admitting her intentions. “I believe what I am about to say will help you in the future. It’s for your benefit.”

“Fine,” Lucina regretfully sighed, dealing with more relationship advice from her friend. She wanted to be clear that she moved on. That was all. It would take a miracle for Lucina to even think about getting back with Palutena. “What are you even going to do to persuade me to go back with Lady Palutena?”

“Jokes on you, Lucy, it’s not even the major topic of this discussion,” Robin humorously jested to lighten the vibe of the conversation.

“Do you have to include unnecessary humor in this conversation?”

“Aside from that,” the tactician was now serious in her tone. She tried not to get too emotional to a point where she would shed a tear. One deep breath was all it took to alleviate her stress. “I first want to apologize… for not accepting your new relationship with Meta Knight. I’ll admit that I preferred you and Palutena together. But back to what I’m trying to say. I don’t want to limit who you are and what you want to do to keep your happiness strong. I will let you be yourself and not let myself say what is best for you. Only you can decide that, and that’s what it’s going to be from now on.”

The Ylisse princess could not help but smile. She was glad that the mage took responsibility for herself because she was too involved in Lucina’s love life. “Thank you. I can’t express how much that means to me.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Robin lightly elbowed Lucina’s right arm. “I shouldn’t hold you for too long. Go kick some ass for me.”

“I’ll do my best,” the swordswoman gave a tight hug before departing for her final Smash event. This was the confidence booster she needed to potentially advance further into the tournament. Before returning to the battlefield, Lucina confronted Palutena one last time in hopes of reconciliation.

“Lady Palutena, I wish to speak to you before our competition,” she tried to sound as formal as possible now that they were not as close before. Her tone was more content yet determined due to the motivating words from a female tactician.

“Oh, Lucina,” the greenette sounded surprised to see the bluenette as if she was unaware of her presence even when her voice was heard. “I don’t know if we should talk before our event. I can’t risk hurting you anymore, not after all the things I’ve done to you.”

“It’s okay,” Lucina genuinely answered back. Either by her guilt or some mystical force beyond her control, the swordswoman softly held the goddess’s left hand with both of her hands. Although it may seem nothing to Lucina, she can’t help but feel warm inside. It may be just a touch from a deity. “I know I’ve been distant towards you, but I don’t want to see you suffer from it. I would like if we just interacted better and become friends. Losing a relationship with someone is a dreadful feeling. I want to make things right by fixing our relationship together.”

Palutena liked hearing those words coming from her ex-girlfriend. What made smile, however, was the fact that Lucina was holding her hand rather than the other way around. Part of her was saying to fix the broken tie while the other was telling her that there is still a chance of getting back together.

“Lucina,” the goddess spoke in a much more positive tone. “We can repair our relationship and be friends again. I feel the same way.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Lady Palutena,” the swordswoman felt much more comfortable being around the green-haired goddess. “How about we develop a game plan before fighting?”

“I’m all ears.”

Their third trial was a significant improvement from their previous attempts. They managed to get 5 kills, causing competitors and spectators to shift their focus to them. It was rare for teams to score over five kills in Cruel Smash. It was not easy at all. It took well-planned tactics and precision for any of their conversions to work.

Robin was particularly stressed out for several reasons. One of them was that her friend was on the verge of elimination if their final attempt on Cruel Smash resulted in failure. Watching the final trial on the screen put her on the edge of her seat and slowly pushing her hair back from a top to the back of her head.

“Scared?” Said a dark angel who sat next to her, teasing on her behavior.

“Yeah,” she admitted without sounding vulnerable. Her heart was pounding faster than before, thinking about what the outcome would be. “I really want Lucy to make it further in this tournament.”

“I can tell,” he stated the obvious. “But you should probably take some deep breaths to calm yourself down.”

“I’ll only do that when it’s necessary.”

“When is it?”

“You’ll see it soon enough.”

Before entering into the light of Battlefield, Palutena glanced at Lucina for a moment, admiring her determination to keep on fighting despite the odds against them. However, she looked for too long as the Ylissean princess gazed at the goddess.

“Is there something wrong?” Lucina asked, slightly tilting her head in curiosity.

“Oh, no,” the greenette calmly responded, folding her arms to render the curiosity down. “I just wanted to say something to you.”

“What were you going to say?” The bluenette was a bit anxious to know what was on the goddess’s mind.

It was too late. Both women were standing in the position in all previous trials.

“Save it for later,” Palutena gripped her staff and shield. “Right now, we got to qualify for the next round.”

The final Cruel Smash for the evening had begun. Lucina dropped down from the highest platform and was behind Palutena. Gripping her Falchion with both hands firmly, the bluenette tried to be more focused as this was the final deciding factor whether they progress further into the tournament or not. The goddess also did the same but she had something else to fight for besides pride.

“Lucina,” the greenette said without looking at her partner. “I have an idea. Let me handle these Miis and try to throw them off stage. You then come for the kill.”

“Understood,” Lucina nodded without facing her goddess. Once the brawlers, gunners, and swordfighters started approaching, Palutena glided towards the right end of the stage while Lucina leaped over the first girdle. The Miis had each fighter cover every option that Lucina and Palutena could possibly escape. The swordswoman appeared to attack the Miis before turning around and sidestepping their attacks. Palutena had thrust a tall blue blade above to hit Lucina. She then quickly positioned herself in a parry stance. The counterattack sent three Miis out of the stage. The goddess rushed to jump slightly above for a swift downward roundhouse kick, sending the three Miis to the bottom blast zone. A concern was that the brawlers and gunners could meteor smash the emerald-haired woman. Lucina came in and slashed at a downward angle to get Palutena to return to the stage safely. The goddess returned to the stage and acted as a tank so Lucina can guard the ledge against two other brawlers.

“Lucina,” she shouted at her former dating partner. “Don’t worry about me. Just do whatever it takes to get enough kills.”

The Ylissean princess could not formulate a response. She brushed it off and continued a series of upward aerial slashes behind herself. Eventually, the two Miis used up their second jumps and recovery moves to return to the stage. Five Miis down and two more left to meet the requirements to qualify for the next round.

“I can’t let myself down,” she briefly closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the implicit burden that was placed upon her shoulders. It was all or nothing at this point. Her future depended on it. “Not myself. Not to the Hero-King. Not to my father. Not to Sir Meta Knight. Not to… to-“

She rolled forward to escape both brawlers’ forward dropkick. Her mind was clouded by the fear of disappointing those she cared for. It had taken a toll on her to a point where her fighting skills have impinged. Lucina just dodged every single move that the brawlers had thrown out. She tried to develop a counterattack against her foes. Even her analysis was not helping out as effectively as it was before. However, the brawlers were conditioning her to the edge of the stage, forcing her to commit some form of approach.

All of a sudden, a scream of defeat was heard. Miis usually do not scream whenever they were sent to the blast zone. It only meant one thing, and it brought devastation to the Ylissean princess.

“Lady Palutena!” She shouted, trying to miraculously save her through her words but to no avail. Nothing could have saved her. It was all her now. Lucina saw four Mii fighters: two brawlers, one gunner, and one swordsman. Something clicked inside her mind. She felt resentment towards her opponents. Her eyes showed the burning will to win. “Despite the odds against me, I will prevail. My future is not written by anyone. Only for myself. Come at me!”

One brawler approached from the above with two spin kicks while the second brawler simply ran towards her for a grab. The Mii swordfighter short-hopped and slashed his blade in a circular motion while performing a corkscrew in the air. The Mii gunner began charging her arm cannon to deliver a devastating blow to the swordswoman should she dodge everything. Lucina had one idea that she usually would not imagine herself. It was unconventional for her but she had to think outside her own mind.

Lucina jumped and dodged the brawler and swordfighter’s attacks. The second brawler reacted to her movement and was preparing to initiate a combo to trap her from escaping. The bluenette drifted slightly away from the brawler before moving towards him to mix up her landing. She barely missed but maintained her balance. Lucina then ran towards the gunner. The Mii’s arm cannon was at maximum power but a shot was not going to fire. Lucina kept running, trying to force a reaction that she hoped her opponent would do. Suddenly, she slowed down her running and the Mii gunner executed an uppercut with her arm cannon. The blue-haired swordswoman barely dodged the attack, but her change in movement speed allowed her opponent to mistime her option.

The Mii gunner was vulnerable to a hard punish. Lucina could deal damage to shift the momentum on her side. She did nothing. She simply ran towards the other Mii fighters. Those Mii fighters were ready to either grab or attack Lucina. The Ylissean princess pivoted the opposite direction, causing one brawler to whiff his grab. Lucina again ran towards the same ledge where she witnessed Palutena being sent to the blast zone. This time both brawlers ran together so if one missed, the other will follow. Lucina faced away from the stage and jumped off the stage. One of the brawlers jumped to cover Lucina’s second jump while the other brawler and swordfighter ran off stage to pressure the swordswoman. The Mii swordfighter stabbed at three different angles while the brawler next to him was slightly higher waiting for a meteor set up. The Mii gunner also went offstage to add more pressure. Lucina went so low that the Mii fighters decided to retreat back. Then the bluenette jumped with an upward slash to grab the ledge first. She dropped down to challenge the Mii Fighters. The gunner shot her charge shot while the three other Miis used their double-jump to execute another meteor set up. Lucina found her opening and positioned herself with her blade angled downward. She parried the projectile and the three Mii fighters were sent flying by a reasonable distance. The swordswoman swung her Falchion in a downward angle twice to ensure that the gunner did not return to the stage. In doing so, she risked herself from being eliminated from the tournament. All parties had no double jump. They all fell into the void below the stage. Lucina looked like she was the second to die, which meant that she failed to secure two more kills.

When all of a sudden…

Lucina used her dolphin slash away from the Miis to stall time. By the peak of her recovery, she saw three other Miis below her. The Ylissean princess was above her opponents before she was the last one to be evaporated from the battlefield.

That was it. It was enough for Palutena and Lucina to qualify for the next round, defying the odds that people had against them.

“Lucina!” Palutena ran and hugged her former girlfriend, exuberant that they both proceeded to the next round. “I don’t how you did it, but you were fantastic!”

Once both women realized what was happening to them physically, they broke off the hug sheepishly. Palutena’s cheeks were slightly pink, which she usually does not experience.  Lucina looked away from the goddess. What the emerald-haired goddess did not see was that Lucina had a small smile on her face along with a tint of red on her cheeks. She played with her fingers shyly.

“I’m sorry,” Palutena spoke up to break the silence rubbing her right arm in embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was uncalled for.”

“No,” the bluenette softly replied but still loud enough for Palutena to hear. “It is alright. I thought it was nice that you hugged me.”

“Oh,” the greenette sounded surprised to hear that from the swordswoman. “I was just really happy that you pulled off a miracle.”

“I appreciate your kind words, but I have to see someone right now,” Lucina walked away to see whoever she was referring to. Palutena felt a slight pain in her chest. She knew that her chances were practically none.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Despite being on the verge of elimination, Palutena and Lucina had advanced through the next phase of the tournament. Although feeling joyous, not all were too happy. The goddess still had to endure Lucina and Meta Knight’s relationship. It still felt heartbreaking to her. Now she had to keep her head up and focus on what was important.

“MY NAGA, LUCY!” Robin exuberantly hugged her friend, overjoyed that the swordswoman managed to pull off a miracle. “I don’t know how you did it, but I don’t care! You’re still in!”

“Thank you, Robin,” Lucina replied in her normal tone with a smile on her face. “I never expected for that sort of tactic to succeed.”

“Come on now,” the mage had her hands on her hips, not liking how the bluenette tried to downplay her skills. “It doesn’t matter what fighting style you did. What matters is that you did whatever it took to win. There’s no shame in fighting inconveniently.”

“You are right,” the swordswoman regained her confidence back. “I know I can overcome the odds.”

“Now that’s the Lucina I know,” Robin wanted to speak more but she was interrupted by a Star Warrior.

“Greetings Lucina,” Meta Knight bowed in respect to his fellow swordfighter. “I saw your spectacular performance in Cruel Smash. I was amazed by your innovative methods.”

“Thank you, Sir Meta Knight,” the bluenette appreciated the compliment. “My skills may not be on par with your skills but-“

“Please refrain from comparing to each other. Your skill is unique and should be appreciated as such, including your own beauty.”

Lucina chuckled and was a bit embarrassed to hear that since Robin was with them. The mage, deep inside, was not fond of this relationship but she expressed a soft smile. Meta Knight could not decipher Robin’s expression. All he can interpret was that she was happy for both of them.

“Anyways, I should get going,” Robin decided to leave the two blue warriors be. It felt awkward if she stayed with them longer. “Lucy, I’ll see you later.”

“See you later, Robin,” Lucina waved a good-bye to her friend for the time being. Right now, she and Meta Knight have the rest of the day to themselves. They both decided to analyze other teams in order to prepare for the next phase of the tournament. Even if one of them was eliminated early, that person can act as a coach to the other team in giving advice on gaining the upper hand.

”Hey, Robin, didn’t expect to see you here,” said a dark angel who was coming to her, opposite of where she was going.

“Hey, angel,” Robin greeted back, hinting a slight tone of unhappiness.

“Is there something wrong? You don’t seem to be happy, especially how Lucina pulled off such a clutch play back there.”

“Oh,” the tactician was surprised to hear Dark Pit’s interpretation of her body language. “That’s not it at all. I’m exuberant that Lucy made it to the next round with Palutena.”

“Then what is it? Oh-“ he had a realization of what might have happened. “Is it between Lucina and-“

“Basically,” she knew what he was going to say so she did not want to hear it again. “I just wanted to get away from that.”

“You know,” Dark Pit placed his hands on Robin’s shoulders. “You don’t like Lucina’s new relationship. That does not mean you should go out of your way to stop every new relationship Lucina may have until she finds the right one.”

“But she did find the right one,” she refuted back aggressively. “And it took one shocked angel to fuck up everything.”

“I know, I know,” the dark angel seemed to be a bit irritated by the tactician’s irrational behavior. “Just because you don’t like what you are seeing, it does not mean you should change something that’s not your business. You just have to let them figure that out on their own. And maybe who knows? It could all change.”

Robin had to take in every single word Dark Pit said. It was difficult for her to grasp the reality she was facing. To her, it was a nightmare that she cannot escape. She felt trapped in a void until a light appeared in front her to escape. Until then, Robin must deal with it without pretending to. “I hate you, sometimes.”

“You don’t mean that, right?” Dark Pit felt his heart beat fast. He did not want to see his mage to dislike him just because of what he said.

“Of course not,” she replied while giving the slightest tone of humor under her serious voice.

“Oh,” he released a huge sigh of relief and his hands on Robin. “That’s good. I thought I also was going to lose you.”

“I mean, I’m not going to die,” she deadpanned.

“Very funny,” he answered sarcastically while crossing his arms.

“Well, I’m planning to go to the garden out back to just relax my mind for a moment,” she changed the flow of topic. “Want to join with me?”

“Sure,” he accepted without even thinking about it. “I could spare some time looking at flowers and water spurting out from the ground.”

“It’s a show to not miss.”

Two days have passed since Palutena and Lucina advanced to the next round. Lucina and Meta Knight spent their day studying other opponents and took well-written notes to identify habits and ways to counter it. Afterward, both swordfighters went to the city to get dinner together. It was one of the more luxurious cuisines. At a certain point, there was a sense of intimacy between the two. Their bond was becoming stronger the more they spent time with each other. Meta Knight, however, wanted to express something that he usually never told anyone. He was not able to have the courage to say whatever he wanted to say to Lucina. Their dinner ended and both returned to the mansion to rest for the night.

Robin and Dark Pit had a more serene environment. They saw the vistas of nature itself. It was a sight to see because of how gorgeous nature can be. Dark Pit had listened Robin talking about how she had not been feeling well for some time. She revealed to the dark angel about some burdens she was carrying and the stress about Lucina. Dark Pit was surprised that she was able to be mentally strong for a good period of time before it got to her. He did everything he can to make her feel better. The dark angel reasoned that she should prioritize certain burdens over others because some matter to her more such as reconciliation with her male counterpart. Robin appreciated his help as the moment helped her clear her mind better. One moment that Dark Pit will never forget was when Robin held his left hand with her right hand. He felt a soft, delicate touch. It felt unreal. In his mind, he never expected her to make the first move. It could have just been a friendly handhold. However, to him, he wondered why Robin would do it at that very moment. He believed there was more to it.

The following day, the 16 qualified teams were at a conference room to meet with Master Hand about further information about the second round. The room was large enough for 32 people to fit in comfortably. It appeared more as a lecture hall where the seats were aligned in a semi-circle, surrounding a podium and a projection screen. Eventually, all 16 teams had arrived. At the podium there stood Master Hand who pointed at a table across from him, revealing a stack of paper for each member to collect. It could be some sort of waiver to fill out that they cannot sue if anything were to happen to them. However, Master Hand instructed to take one sheet of paper per team. The stack has amounted to 16, which was perfect to not waste any more use of paper.

The Smashers were free to sit wherever since the only thing Master Hand wanted to talk about was only the Classic Smash round. However, it was preferred if both teammates sat together. Lucina kept the feeling to herself, but she was not sure if she should sit with Meta Knight or Palutena. She would feel bad if she did not sit next to her partner. However, the swordswoman felt the same way if she did not sit next to the Star Warrior. It was conflicting to her like a battle that she could not win.

“Robin,” Lucina grabbed her friend’s right arm as Palutena and Meta Knight sat behind each other. “I don’t know what to do.”

“What? How to find a seat?” The tactician joked as it was the perfect moment to make humor.

“Stop!” She whispered loudly. “This is important. The only person I can talk about this is you.”

“Alright, what is it, Lucy?” Robin was all focused on her friend.

“Who should I sit with, Lady Palutena or Sir Meta Knight?”

“Seriously?” Robin replied, disappointed to hear the ‘important’ help that Lucina wanted. “You want me to help you with your romance crisis?”

“It’s not a romance crisis as you are claiming,” the bluenette refuted. “I don’t any more drama between them, that’s all.”

“You’re overthinking this way too hard. Just sit with your teammate. It seems appropriate since this pertains to the tournament.”

“You’re right. I should do that. Thanks, Robin,” Lucina was glad to have that problem solved.

“Don’t mention it, Lucy,” she said before sitting with her male counterpart.

Lucina walked the row where the goddess was sitting and sat next to her while Meta Knight was behind her. There was a moment of silence between the three. Neither one were willing to talk although this was Lucina’s mindset. There was nothing to talk about so it was acceptable that there was silence.

“Good morning, fellow remaining Smashers,” Master Hand began before speaking any further. He heard the ‘good morning’ phrase to him by the Smashers. “I want to congratulate you all for making to the second phase of this tournament. As many of you are aware of why I invited each of you to this very room. I will disclose how the second phase will operate in more detail.”

Master Hand pressed a clicker to present a slideshow about Classic Smash. “Many of you are aware of Classic Smash in previous iterations of our major tournaments. For this particular tournament, it is going to be implemented in a tournament for the first time. Classic Smash is run with two people, hence why you all have a pair. The first two rounds will be you choosing which computer fighters you wish to fight. Your points will be accumulated based on time and the number of fighters gives to you. To balance this issue, you will be given two lives. Each one you lose will be a detriment to your performance. After succeeding the two rounds, you will face 15 Mii fighters where time is the essential component of how many points you will earn. Once you get through those three phases, you will then face the Master Core.”

“What is the Master Core?” Robin inquired as she was intrigued by this new challenge that she never heard of before.

“It is considered the true final boss should you weaken our computerized versions of myself and Crazy Hand,” Master Hand presented several shadowlike figures projected on the screen. “You will face four forms that the Master Core will send out: Giant, Beast, Edges, and Shadow. Defeating all four forms will result in the completion of the Classic round.”

“I heard that there was another form that we could’ve faced,” Robin pressed on with another question. Her tone showed genuine interest. It could be that she wanted to figure out the shortcomings of each form she and her male counterpart can secure a spot in the next round.

“It was put into consideration that the final form of the Master Core would be implemented into this competition,” the right hand admitted without hesitation. “However, testing this form had caused our experimented subjects to be in poor conditions. As a result, this final form of the Master Core will not be in play. No matter how many arguments I hear from others, I cannot put my competitors in severe harm just like how I did with my test subjects.”

Some competitors like Falco were not in agreements that Master Hand left out one of the forms to them. To Falco, a challenge was wasted. He wanted to show how skilled his fighting was but now it had taken back. Robin, on the other hand, understood where Master Hand was coming from. Putting his invited Smashers first over ratings was the right moral choice that he had made.

“Now that I have explained how Classic Mode is going to run, are there any questions pertaining to it?”

No one had a question, which made Master Hand’s job easier to do.

“Very well then,” Master Hand said as he turned off the projector. “The paper in front of you is a signup sheet for each team. This round will last for 4 four days. The competition will get shorter but more exciting as it draws closer to its end. Each day there are four-time slots in a two-hour timespan.”

“How do we determine who gets to sign up first?” Falco asked.

“It is determined by rank,” Master Hand answered back. Some members gave an upsetting look, not liking how the signup was selected. “The team in the first place gets to choose, then the team in second place picks and so on.”

“That’s some bullshit,” the bird cussed quietly. “That’s not fair at all.”

“Well, if you tried and get good in all events in the first round, then you could have been picked earlier,” Dark Pit snapped at Falco.

“Oh, please,” he taunted at the dark angel. “I’m still above you in rank. For someone who tells me to get good, you’re the one who really needs it.”

Dark Pit clenched his fists and wanted to punch Falco in the face. The urge to throw a fist was tempting but he kept restraint to himself. “We’ll see about that when your sorry ass gets you eliminated this round.”

“Say for yourself, clone.”

“Excuse me, gentleman,” Master Hand intervened between the angel and bird’s conversation. “Would you like to share what is more important for you two to talk about other than the tournament?”

“Nope.”

“No.”

“Excellent,” Master Hand read off of the top 16 rank. “Once you have signed up for your event, you may leave. I will also give you a reminder of the time and day of your event. First up is the team of Link and Meta Knight.”

Both swordsmen went up and looked at which day would be the most optimal. Link preferred to get it over with but Meta Knight suggested previewing the teams on the first day to understand what they should expect. They signed up for the second day on the final slot. The next team up was Zelda and Samus. Like Link and Meta Knight, both women chose the third-day first slot to prepare longer.

Outside of the conference room, Samus gestured to Zelda to meet up at the garden behind the mansion. The Hylian princess was curious as to why Samus wanted to talk to her in private. They found the fountain they can sit on, which they did.

“Samus,” Zelda began the conversation. “Why did you bring me here? Is there something wrong?”

“We’ve known each other for some time since the third reiteration of Smash,” the bounty hunter started off, trying to convey her message with subtle hints.

“We have,” Zelda agreed. “I’m glad that I get to team with you in this competition.”

“As do I,” Samus had a hard time being direct on what she really wanted to say. “But there’s more than to just you and I as teammates.”

“How so?”

“I…wanted to get to you know better.”

“But you are already.”

“I don’t mean that we’re getting to know each other because we’re teammates. Zelda, I want to spend more time with you outside of the competition. I don’t want our interactions to be merely related to this tournament, just you and I engaging in fun activities together.

The Hylian princess could not believe what she just heard. Was Samus asking her out on a date? Her heart was pounding at a much faster rate than before. Her whole body began heating up from hearing the bounty hunter’s words.

“Samus,” Zelda spoke, making sure she was interpreting everything correctly. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Well,” the bounty hunter tried to come up with a way to hint her message that she was trying to ask her on a date. She was not the kind of person who tried to send her message through a clever context. Saying something directly, in this particular situation, was one of the few moments that made her struggle to be direct. However, she decided that she had to say it and let everything sink in. “Yes. I am asking you out on a date, Zelda. Will you?”

Zelda’s world came to a sudden stop. Did she really hear that from Samus? She thought the bounty hunter would not reciprocate her feelings towards her. It felt surreal. This was something that would happen in her fantasies, but it came into real life. She wanted to make sure that her reply was the right one.

“Yes.”

“Really?” Samus had to ask to ensure what she heard was right.

“Yes, yes!” Zelda exclaimed with joy. “Of course I want to date you. I… actually liked you for some time.”

“I… didn’t know that,” a smile crept on her face, knowing that the woman she liked also felt the same way. “I came to the conclusion that you saw me as a friend.”

“Now we know how we feel towards each other,” Zelda walked up closer to Samus and held both hands. “I can’t wait for our first date.”

“Let’s have it after our Classic run.”

“I cannot wait.”

As soon as Zelda and Samus parted ways, the princess ran to the conference room, hoping to find Robin still around there. She needed to tell this someone; it was just something that needed to be heard. The distance between the mansion and the conference hall was a bit far yet it could not take too much time to reach there. By the time she got there, Robin had just got out of the conference room.

“Robin,” Zelda grabbed the tactician’s arm. “I got some great news.”

“You seem extremely jovial,” she pointed out the obvious. Robin was curious as to why the Hylian princess was like that. “What is it?”

“Hold on, they’re still people inside the conference. I don’t want to disturb them.”

“Good point,” both women walked towards the end of the hallway where they would not be heard by the other Smashers in the conference room. “Alright, Zelda, what’s this great news you’re talking about?”

“Samus and I are going on a date!” Zelda exclaimed as passionate as she could feel. “I’m so happy right now!”

“OH MY NAGA, ZELDA!” Robin cheered as she and the princess jumped together in glee. “I didn’t know you had it in you!”

“Actually, Samus asked me out,” Zelda corrected the mage.

“Huh?” The tactician asked in confusion as she stopped jumping, tilted her head, and furrowed her eyes. “She actually asked you before you did?”

“I was as surprised, too, but it doesn’t matter because she likes me as well.”

“Wow,” Robin did not expect to hear that from Zelda. Her eyes widening showed otherwise. “This is amazing for you. You’re dating a woman who also likes you, something hard to find these days.”

“Thank you, Robin,” Zelda had calmed down after her moment of happiness. “I don’t know what to do to get ready for our date.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Robin said, feeling confident that their relationship will blossom well. “We can work with that later.”

Palutena and Lucina were the last teams to sign up for the Classic Run. They barely made it out of the first round due to their mixed results. Unfortunately for them, the only time slot available was the first day, earliest time. They were unlucky ones to test out this newly formulated tournament. This meant that they had to practice and analyze their simulated Classic Smash runs as much as they can in order to advance to the next round. To make the situation worse for the competitors, they were given two tries. The best score overall would count.

After they signed up, both stood outside of the conference room. They remained there for a brief awkward moment because of a hug that embarrassed them both. Although Palutena still wanted to talk to Lucina not only because they were partners for the tournament, but because she still had feelings for the swordswoman. She wanted to make things right by being by the bluenette’s side for everything.

“Lucina,” Palutena finally spoke as she faced the Ylissean princess.

“What is it, Lady Palutena?” The bluenette answered back, facing the goddess.

“The competition seems tough for us,” she didn’t want to say what really wanted to say so she went for a topic to lead into it.

“It is,” Lucina agreed. “We will have to practice as much as we can to ensure our chances of moving on further into the tournament. When is it again?”

“Exactly one week from today, so we’re going to bring our A-game no matter what.”

“Of course, so,” the bluenette was a bit shy on asking her goddess about training together. “Do you want to meet at the training arena tomorrow?”

“I’d love that,” Palutena had a bright smile on her face before finally bringing up something she had been meaning to say. “Lucina…”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I’m sorry for being harsh to you. It’s my entire fault when I called you that word that should never be said. I was also jealous of you and Meta Knight. I was saddened that you found someone that fast after we broke up.”

“You don’t have to mention that,” Lucina sounded defensive when those unpleasant memories suddenly came back to haunt her for this moment. “It’s already in the past. I don’t want to hear it again.”

“The reason I’m saying this is because my words lead us to break up. I regretted everything that happened. If that didn’t happen, then-“

“Please, Lady Palutena,” Lucina was visibly frustrated at hearing the goddess’s words. The painful memories kept rewinding her mind over and over until it mentally breaks her. “I don’t want to hear this. Why are you bringing this up?”

“It’s because I still like you!” Palutena finally shouted out her true feelings to Lucina. She felt relived because the stress had disappeared the minute she said those words. “I still have these feelings for you, Lucina. I know I shouldn’t have said it but I had to. It’s been eating up inside me. That’s all I want to say to you.”

Lucina froze for a moment. Did she really just hear what she heard? The bluenette was confused as to react to the greenette’s words. Time felt it slowed down so much that nothing in the world was moving at all. It was so difficult for her to decide what to do. Would it be Meta Knight or Palutena? She was hearing two different answers in her mind: Meta Knight because he treated her with the highest form of respect or Palutena who liked her for who she was. Although the situation was a surprise for her, Lucina went with her heart.

“Lucina,” Palutena spoke as she was concerned for the swordswoman. “Are you okay?”

“Lady Palutena,” the bluenette finally came back to her senses. “I was just surprised that you said that. I did not expect it.”

“No, it is fine,” the goddess expected that Lucina was going to reject her feelings. “You can say that you don’t-“

“No, I don’t want to say that,” Lucina interjected as a pure smile crept on her face with water covering most of her eyes. “Because I feel the same way.”

“You do?” Palutena covered her mouth, completely surprised to hear that her feelings were not rejected. It almost looked like the goddess was about to cry of joy.

No words from Lucina. Just a nod before both women hugged each other.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

At the training facility, it was empty. Not a single Smasher was occupying it since it was early morning. Most of the competitors were sleeping when the morning light rose into the sky. Even then, the facility was available 24/7 to them. It was not until two people arrived at the arena.

“Do we really have to be up this early?” Zelda asked as if she was complaining about being up early and tired. “It’s not even sunlight yet.”

“If you’re going to know me better, this is something you’ll have to get used to,” the bounty replied without a single hint of tiredness coming from her. She booted up the systems and began to input settings for their training. “Get ready because we’re going to right into it.”

“Give me a second,” the princess stretched out her entire body and drank some water to prepare for the intensive training that she thought would come at her. As Samus was inputting data into the computer, Zelda could not help but think about how this was possible. Of all people, a bounty hunter was the one she had feelings for. It was strange yet beautiful at the same time. Sometimes, she felt that this was all just a fantasy. Because it became real, there was nothing else she wanted that she had not gotten. She walked up behind Samus and hugged her.

“Zelda, was I in your way?” Samus asked, hiding from the fact that she was surprised that Zelda hugged her without warning.

“No,” the Hylian replied. “I just can’t believe this is all happening to me.”

“I feel the same,” the bounty hunter stopped typing and embraced Zelda’s arms. She closed her eyes for a moment, reminiscing about how the princess reciprocated her feelings. It was the first time that she was able to confess something without hiding it. The room was quiet for a second. “I never thought you would ever be with me.”

“Why wouldn’t I? There’s more about a person other than looks.”

“I suppose,” she cracked a smile before a notification from the computer signaled that the setup was ready for use. “We should get ready.”

Zelda let go of her hug and was prepared to train. Once the two entered the simulation room, they were at a stage with no platforms. The background was two large circular objects, the sun and earth, nearly contacting each other. This was the Final Destination. Once Zelda realized where she was, her first reaction was confusion. The princess wondered why they would start training with the final boss. There was no time to think as computerized versions of Master Hand and Crazy descended from the skies. Both hands clenched their hands and punched each other to show that they were ready to fight.

“Who do you want to face?” Samus asked Zelda as her paralyzer was ready for use.

“I’ll go for Master Hand,” The Hylian responded. Samus nodded and she ran towards the left hand.

It did not take long before Master Hand’s glove began ripping apart revealing millions of dark particles swarming around the stage while Crazy Hand began disintegrating and fusing with the swarm. Samus and Zelda could not see what was in front of them as darkness surrounded them. It was only ephemeral as a large humanoid creature appeared in front of them. The giant was so humongous that it was standing behind Final Destination.

“So, this is the Master Core?” Samus mused as she firmly grasped her paralyzer while Zelda stared at the magnificent giant.

Master Giant swung its arm in a horizontal motion but it appeared to be harmless. However, the bounty hunter immediately caught on what was going to happen next. The princess, on the other hand, stood still at how daunting the giant appeared. Samus ran to Zelda and threw her upward before getting hit by a quick flash of where the giant swung its arms at.

As soon as Samus grunted in pain, Zelda snapped out of her hypnosis. She quickly ran to her and tried to get her on her feet. “Samus, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”

“Save it for later,” the bounty hunter got up without trouble. “Focus on the Master Core.”

“Got it.”

The Master Giant then opened two of its arms while ripping its head to reveal a rift. Each arm attempted to grab both women. However, they managed to closely evade the grab. Thinking they were safe, the Master Giant changed the direction of its arms to Zelda, and she was grabbed. Without thinking, Samus shot plasma rays from her paralyzer. Then she executed three bicycle kicks to add more damage to the giant. Although she did her best trying to save the princess, Zelda was dealt rapid damage inside the rift before being ejected onto the stage for extra damage. Zelda landed on her back after falling out of the rift. The velocity of the impact was so great that she could barely stand up. Her back arched upward. Samus ran to the princess to guard her while fighting the giant herself.

“S-Samus,” Zelda struggled to speak after experiencing pain on her back. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“No,” a firm and upsetting tone came from the tall blonde. “I am not leaving you like this. We are partners. If you go down, I will as well.”

The Master Giant created six energy orbs and placed them above the two women. They were bewildered since the orbs were out of reach for Samus and Zelda. Then the giant lifted the stage so they would get hit by the orbs. The bounty hunter swiftly grabbed Zelda, placed her on her shoulders and dodged every energy orb that came across them. The giant then swung its arm horizontally. The area of effect was under Samus and Zelda. Once the area flashed, Samus dodged at the right moment before landing on stage.

“Zelda,” Samus softly spoke to her lady. “Can you still fight?”

“No,” the Hylian admitted shamefully, trying to hold back tears of disappointment from her performance.

Samus pulled out a small remote that was attached to the side of her Zero Suit and ended the simulation. She let Zelda get back on her feet. Without looking at the bounty hunter, Zelda walked away with her head down in displeasure. Samus caught up to the princess and firmly grabbed her left arm.

“Zelda,” Samus sounded concerned that her lady was feeling discontent from training. “What’s wrong?”

“…”

“Zelda? I know you are unhappy. Please tell me what is bothering you.”

“I just feel,” she stopped mid-sentence, not wanting to admit something she had been hiding from people. “I just feel like I can’t contribute.”

“What are you talking about?” Samus was confused by Zelda’s statement. “You and I performed fine in this tournament.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Zelda snapped back angrily. Her emotions got the best of her. Realizing who she was hollering at, the Hylian turned away in fear that Samus would get upset. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.”

The blonde placed her right hand on Zelda’s right shoulder to ease up her tense body. “I’m only upset if someone or something terrible has happened to you. If we’re going to be in this relationship, then you have to tell me what’s on your mind. I want you to feel better. Zelda, I ask you again, what is wrong?”

She took it all in, listening to every word that her partner was saying. It felt nice that Zelda had someone who genuinely cared about her and was willing to work things out in order to keep the relationship strong. “I want you to be honest.”

“I will.”

“Am I truly a skilled fighter? Are my skills poor to a point where someone whose abilities far supersedes mine can carry me in this tournament? I can’t even fight after one move that just completely shattered my ability to fight. I don’t want to be worthless, but I can’t escape the fact that I fail to contribute to this team. I’m only a princess. I can only talk but can never-“

Zelda was interrupted by Samus placing her finger on the princess’s lips. “I don’t want to hear this anymore.”

“But you just said-“

“I know what I said,” the bounty hunter moved her fingers to the Hylian’s chin and lifted them slightly upward. “Everything you just said, it is completely wrong. Do you know why?”

“How can you convince me?” Zelda was not persuaded by her crush’s words.

“It’s because I know the potential that you have that not many fighters here have: passion,” Zelda was not getting where this was going. Samus, on the other hand, was not hiding anything from her lady. It was all honesty. “I’ve seen you pushing yourself beyond your limits before. When we became partners for tournaments, I wanted to help you improve your combat skills. You never gave up. You sought for more, asking me each time what you were doing wrong or what you could have done to develop a better game plan. Time after time, you proved yourself that you are a worthy fighter. The only thing that irritates me about you is how much you downplay or doubt yourself after one poor performance. You can never be perfect every time, but you can learn from your mistakes.”

Zelda could not help but smile at the supporting words that Samus had said. At first, she thought the blonde was only saying that to make her feel better. However, those words felt real and had meant significant to her. There was a strange feeling of boosted self-confidence inside of the Hylian. She had no words to appreciate how supportive Samus was to her. She was glad that someone was there for her to get her back on her feet.

“Are you going to kiss me?”

Those words were the last words that Samus expected to hear from Zelda. She was so shocked to hear the words that she backed away from the princess. It never came across her mind that she and Zelda would share a kiss this early in their relationship. She knew it would happen eventually but not this quick.

“Why did I say that? Samus, pretend that didn’t happen,” Zelda was hyperventilating by the words that she never meant to say but just accidentally said. Her face reddened, feeling sheepish about the unintentional question of kissing.

“How can I forget the words of pressing my lips against your lips?” Samus responded aggressively while her face reddened by the thought of kissing Zelda. “You expect me to forget that? Well, I can’t.”

“I’m really sorry,” the Hylian kept apologizing, trying to make the environment less awkward. “I truly appreciate your words. They gave me the confidence I need to focus on the tournament.”

“That’s good to hear,” Samus smiled at her lady’s words. “Shall we continue with the training?”

“Yes.”

A day had passed since Palutena admitted her feelings to Lucina. To her, it was one of her memorable moments because she thought she would never get back with the Ylissean princess. It was clear that she could not move on from that relationship. Despite being a mortal, Lucina had something that the goddess admired: her will to improve as a fighter and taking risks for someone she cared about.

Lucina, on the other hand, felt ambivalent. Her feelings were now in conflict with each other. She was intimately getting closer with Meta Knight and yet revealed to her goddess that she harbored the same feelings for her. Although it looked like a conflict between two people, Lucina did not feel that way. She felt lost. A hazy mist clouded her mind. The swordswoman could not figure out who her heart belonged to. There was only one person she could discuss this.

“Lucina? What’s up?” Robin answered the knock on her door, not expecting to see Lucina come to her without notice. Naturally, she stepped aside to let the bluenette in, knowing that something was up on her mind. “Something wrong?”

“Yes,” Lucina panicked, feeling the stress of a difficult situation she was in. She sat down on the tactician’s couch with her hands sheepishly covering her face. “I don’t know what to do right now.”

“What do you mean?” Robin had an idea of where the conversation was leading but had to ask just to not jump the gun. She sat down next to her friend with her right hand softly touching Lucina’s left shoulder. “You can tell me. I don’t want you to be like this.”

“If I tell you my situation, can you promise me that you cannot tell anyone about this?” Her eyes showed that she wanted to settle the matter without having too many people knowing about it.

“I promise,” Robin agreed, letting go of her hand on the swordswoman’s shoulder. “This will only be between us.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry, Lucy,” Robin smiled to reassure that she would not disclose anything to anyone, not even Dark Pit.

“Just know that this is between us.”

“Come on, cut to the point,” Robin impatiently said, a bit excited to hear what was on Lucina’s mind.

“Okay,” Lucina took a deep sigh before disclosing everything she wanted to say. “Lady Palutena and I had a conversation after our sign up for the next phase of the tournament.”

“I’m listening,” the tactician commented, actively trying to know what Lucina had to say.

“She was saying how she was sorry about how she acted towards Meta Knight and me. I didn’t want to hear that was already in the past again, so I asked why she kept on bringing up that, and she said…”

“Said what?” Her curiosity got the best of her. Her pupils dilated, still feeling anxious to hear about something that she may have figured out already.

“Lady Palutena said she still has feelings for me,” Lucina blurted out, finally letting out what was holding inside her chest.

“Umm, Lucina?” Robin calmly asked her friend, surprising the swordswoman because she thought the mage would freak out first. “What did you say back?”

“Uh,” she fiddled her fingers, which sort of gave away her response, “I… said I felt… the same way.”

“AAAHHH! LUCY!” She hugged and jumped in glee. Robin thought that they were getting back together and one of her burdens would be lifted from her shoulders. “I’m so happy that you two are getting back together!”

“R-Robin! Hold on a minute! It’s not what you think!” Lucina then saw a sad but disappointing expression from her friend.

“Wait, what? I don’t understand,” Robin sounded as if she heard something she disliked and was in denial.

“I can clarify.”

“Do please.”

“I didn’t want to say no to her because it’ll break her heart even more, but at the same time-“

“You still have those feelings inside you, don’t you?”

“I do,” Lucina admitted yet she was uncertain if it meant anything. “It’s just that my relationship with Meta Knight is becoming more intimate. I don’t know what I to do. I can’t maintain two relationships like that.”

“You could,” Robin joked but it was an inappropriate time to do so. She quickly took back her statement. “But if you were honest, how do you feel exactly?”

“I’m truly uncertain,” the bluenette answered, sounding defeated by revealing her vulnerable side. “My mind is clouded by this.”

“I can’t really speak on this because I don’t know what you’re going through,” Robin placed her hands on Lucina’s shoulders. “But I will say this: talk it out with Palutena and continue your interactions with Meta Knight. Afterward, follow your heart once you’re ready to decide, should you want to choose someone.”

“Thank you for the advice,” Lucina genuinely thanked her friend for helping her out on her situation. She hugged her as a way to appreciate the assistance. From that point on, it was something that the swordswoman had to figure out by herself.

“Well, hopefully, things will work out for you,” Robin smiled. “So, do you want to get something to eat?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I should talk to Lady Palutena about this,” Lucina felt the need to confront the situation to resolve everything as fast as she could.

“You don’t have to force something if you’re not ready to discuss it with her now,” Robin reassured her friend that some things are best handled naturally. “It’s okay to take some time to process everything and then going for it.”

“You’re right,” the bluenette nodded at the mage’s suggestion. She took a deep breath to calm herself before talking to the goddess about their conflicted relationship. “To answer your question, I would be glad to.”

“Sweet, where you want to go?”

“There’s a nice bakery in the city that I’d like to go.”

“Ooh, I like that,” Robin liked the idea since she was sort of in the mood for some sweets. Regardless, that was not the only thing that she was happy about.

At the lounge of the mansion, Robin and Lucina saw two angels playing a game of Mario Kart on their DS. Intrigued by this, both women approached them.

“YES!” Pit popped off and out of his seat over his victory against his doppelganger. “I’m the best at Mario Kart!”

“You only got lucky that your red shell hit me at the finish line,” Dark Pit downplayed Pit’s win, feeling a bit upset that he lost when he was leading most of the entire race in Maka Wuhu.

“Nuh uh,” Pit disagreed while feeling jovial about beating Dark Pit in a video game. “I sniped you at the last second. It was all skill. You’re just salty that you suck at this game!”

“Oh?” The dark angel’s eyes furrowed, irked by the fact that the white angel threw out an insult. “Then let’s rematch. This time, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Bring it on!” Pit sat down and was ready to play again before being approached by a tactician and a swordswoman.

“That’s cute,” Robin humorously scoffed by what she heard. “You kids having fun?”

“Who are you calling a kid?” Dark Pit went along with the mage’s conversation. “This game is something that your brain cannot comprehend.”

“Oh please,” the tactician thought he was bluffing. “At least, I don’t get hit by things that cost you the win.”

“Ooh, you got burned, Pittoo,” Pit joined to make the matter worse for his opposite.

“Then race me,” he taunted, trying to get his lady to play Mario Kart.

“I wish but I’m going with Lucina to get some food in the city,” Robin ended the humorous conversation since she was now craving for some baked sweets.

“I see,” Dark Pit nodded before smirking which confused her for a moment. “You’re too scared that you’ll lose to me.”

Robin gave a death stare at the black angel, frightening him without showing through body language. He was not certain if her stare meant anything or if it was to stop with the jokes. There was a short moment of awkward silence as Pit and Lucina were quiet between Robin and Dark Pit.

“So,” Lucina broke the silence. “Robin, we should go.”

“Oh yeah,” the tactician snapped back, remembering that she had plans right now. Her smile indicated that things looked fine. “Let’s go. Oh, do you two want to come along?”

“Sure,” Pit joyfully agreed to join along. “Pittoo, let’s go!”

“Um, yeah,” he needed to collect himself after feeling afraid from his lady’s daunting glare. “We can join.”

The four then exited the mansion and walked towards the city since it was not too far from where they lived. As they were walking, Dark Pit had to know if Robin was actually mad at him for taking a joke a bit too far. The death stare was the only reason why he pondered about it. Thankfully, Pit and Lucina were engaging in another conversation by themselves. They were talking about the tournament and how they would practice for it. It was not surprising since Lucina was focused on the tournament to prove herself that despite having a similar fighting style to Marth. Pit was supporting her because he knew that the Ylissean princess was a formidable opponent.

“Hey, Robin,” Dark Pit walked up next to the tactician. “Mind if I talk to you for a bit?”

“Sure,” Robin squinted her eyes almost entirely, bewildered as to why Dark Pit needed permission to engage in a friendly conversation. “What do you want to talk about?”

“You’re not mad at me about earlier, right? You know, when I joked that you were too scared to lose to me in Mario Kart,” the dark angel sounded sincere, and Robin could not tell if he was messing around or not.

“Wait,” she did not want to laugh in front of him because it would upset him. “Are you actually serious about that? Do you really think I would be mad about something I do usually?”

“Yes?” He was still unsure if Robin was upset with him.

“Oh, Angel,” she chuckled and wrapped her left arm around his shoulders. “You’re a sensitive guy. I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?”

“I stared at you like I wanted to kill you just to mess with you.”

“You’re weird, you know that?” Dark Pit was relieved yet felt the need to poke a little fun at the mage since things were back to normal even though they already were.

“Appreciate your comment and question,” Robin grinned before rubbing her angel’s hair. There was something else the tactician wanted to say to Dark Pit but she refrained from doing so because it was a promise she should not break.

“Lucina seems to look fine,” the black angel changed the topic. As soon as the mage heard that, she bit her lower lip, trying to come up with responses that technically would not break Lucina’s promise. “I’m surprised to see that after her and Palutena’s situation.”

“I guess something happened that made them compromise,” Robin carefully answered back after taking a deep breath.

“True,” Robin’s right hand balled into a fist and slightly pumped it downward, glad that she escaped a potential discussion between Lucina and Palutena. “I hope things get better from there.”

They arrived at the city, a metropolitan area thriving with advanced technology and its liveliness. The city was also large that people can get lost if not careful. However, the four were familiar with the city and its known places. Lucina and Robin knew where the bakery that the swordswoman wanted to go. The angels followed the women for about 10 minutes before they found a medium-sized bakery shop located near the center of the city. The outer design appeared simplistic. It was a two-floor building resembling a house. The structure material was mostly bricks, making it look a bit old. However it was maintained well that it looked modern. On the second floor, there was a balcony filled with tables where people can socialize, eat and enjoy the breeze of the outside. Upon entering inside, on the left side, there were baked goods on tables and shelves for customers to take. On the right were tables for anybody to use for whatever purpose. Straight ahead was a counter where people go to purchase baked items and drinks. Once the four entered inside, they happened to see a tall female figure whose emerald hair went past her calves.  Lucina’s heart raced the fastest. She was not prepared to talk about it, especially when the goddess was in front of her.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

_“You’ve got to be kidding me,”_ Lucina thought herself as she froze from where she stood. She was unsure if this was the right time to even talk about her feelings to Palutena.

_“What are the odds that Palutena would be here at this time?”_ Robin was rather surprised than concerned for Lucina. Of course, she was still worried that Palutena and Lucina’s relationship would spiral downward from here. _“Lucina, I hope you play your cards right. I can’t help you at this point.”_

_“Well, this sucks,”_ Dark Pit closed his eyes, knowing that what might happen may be dramatic. _“As long as we don’t cause any-“_

“Lady Palutena!” Pit called to his goddess who was purchasing a smoothie. “I didn’t expect you to be here!”

_“Fucking Pit!”_ Lucina, Robin, and Dark Pit all had thought the exact same words when the white angel yelled across the bakery. Some residents looked at Pit but turned back to their own business. Robin tilted her head slightly to the right and placed her two fingertips just above her right eye while Dark Pit looked down and covered his eyes in embarrassment.

“Oh, hello Pit,” the goddess greeted her angel. She then saw the other Smashers who came along. “I see you came with other people…and Lucina.”

The latter part of her sentence she spoke so quietly that no one could hear it. Since Pit called to greet her, the others walked to Palutena and greeted her as well. She waved at Dark Pit, hugged Robin, but awkwardly waved at Lucina before turning to the side to hide her blush.

“So, what brought the four of you here?” Palutena broke the silence, trying to make the environment less weird.

“Lucina and I wanted to come here,” Robin responded. “We asked if Pit and Dark Pit wanted to come along, which they did. How about you?”

“I was just walking around the city to get some fresh air,” the goddess answered back. “I came here to get some refreshments. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Well, I’m glad we found you here,” Pit added, feeling joyous to see his goddess. He had noticed that Palutena was happier than usual after she and Lucina broke up. Recently, in fact, that the greenette appeared more hopeful than melancholy than Pit usually saw. “We can sit on the balcony and hang out.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Pit,” the goddess said. Because the swordswoman was here, she wanted to talk to her about the status of their relationship without having anyone else hearing them.

Dark Pit pierced his lips, not sure on how to react to this situation. Having the former couple interacting appeared strange to him because of how would they interact despite terminating their romantic relationship together. Robin, on the other hand, wanted to strangle Pit. It was not that she was fine with all five sitting together and socializing, but she wanted to get Palutena and Lucina to sit together alone and work things out in their favor. She still wanted them to get back together. It looked possible but very slim.

“First, let us get our food and we can meet you upstairs, Lady Palutena,” Robin suggested with Dark Pit seconding it.

“I’ll save us some seats,” Palutena did not seem to mind because she thought it was a good idea to do that. “I’ll meet you guys in a bit.”

Palutena went upstairs to the balcony meanwhile Robin needed to figure out how to get Palutena and Lucina to sit together. As Pit and Lucina looked around the baked sweets, Robin grabbed Dark Pit’s left arm and pulled him close.

“Hey, what’s going on?” The dark angel asked, confused about Robin’s strange behavior. He could tell from his lady’s eyes that she was planning something.

“I’m trying to get Palutena and Lucina to sit together,” Robin began talking before Dark Pit looked at the bluenette and then back to the tactician.

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” he thought because it didn’t seem like a big deal.

“No,” Robin said to clarify her poorly chosen words. “I mean only them sitting together alone at a table while we sit somewhere else in the balcony. Can you help me?”

“Alright, what’s the plan?” Dark Pit acquiesced after pondering about it for a moment.

“I was thinking that you and Pit talk about the tournament and developing some strategy on getting a high placing.”

“What if Pit suggests that we all sit together and talk about it?”

“I’ll come up with some excuse like saying it’s a bad strategy to discuss because other teams will steal the idea.”

“You’re with us, so how could we talk about it if we’re going to talk about the tournament?”

“Angel!” Robin whispered angrily after being bombarded with questions about her plan. “You’re making this worse!”

“I’m just asking because it could happen,” he defended, ensuring that they should have a solution to a problem that may occur.

“You know what?” The tactician felt irritated by the flaws of her plan, so she came up with another idea just to wing it. “I’ll just tell Pit that Palutena and Lucina need to compromise on something, so he’ll understand.”

“Really?” The dark angel replied as if it was a poor idea. “You’re going to go with that?”

“I just want Palutena and Lucina to make up completely and be friends again,” hearing the word ‘friends’ used for the goddess and the swordswoman felt disgusting to her. However, she was clever that her choice of words was vague enough that Dark Pit would not suspect a thing. Robin still wanted the two women to get back together.

“I feel that,” the black angel had the “same” thought that Robin was saying. “Pit will understand. Remember when I gave him that talk about them?”

“Yeah,” Robin grinned at Dark Pit handling that situation well. “You were pretty badass.”

“It’s no biggie,” he downplayed his actions before turning his head away to hide his blush from Robin’s compliment. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

Before initiating their plan, Robin and Dark Pit had scoped around the food to see what they were going to buy. The tactician bought some croissants and cookies before going up to the register to buy a drink. The doppelganger got some strawberry pastries before buying a drink at the counter as well. After all four purchased everything they wanted, they were ready to head upstairs to meet with Palutena. As they were walking up, Robin nodded her angel to talk to Pit while she did with Lucina.

“Hey, Pit,” Dark Pit said quietly to his doppelganger. “I got something to tell you.”

“You okay?” The white angel asked, a bit concerned if he was feeling fine or not.

“I forgot to tell you,” he began. “I think it’s best if you, me and Robin sat somewhere on the balcony while your goddess and Lucina sit together.”

“Why?” Pit replied, confused and a bit upset that his opposite suggested that idea. “Why can’t we just sit together?”

“Robin feels that they should completely compromise together since they haven’t fixed it completely.”

Pit thought about it for a moment. At first, he did not understand why the two needed to compromise until he remembered when he saw them kiss in front of him accidentally. He also remembered when Dark Pit and he had a discussion about them and their romance. After thinking about it, it made sense to him because Lucina was talking to Meta Knight afterward and Palutena was jealous about it. “You’re right. I don’t want Lady Palutena to be uncomfortable with Lucina around.”

“No one wants that,” Dark Pit agreed. “It’d be a mess.”

“Okay,” Pit was back to his happy attitude.

After they reached the balcony, they saw Palutena sitting in the far right corner of the balcony, overlooking the streets of the city. Since she was not looking, Pit, Dark Pit and Robin walked towards the far left corner of the balcony to sit there. The angels went but the mage stayed behind a bit to talk to Lucina.

“Lucina,” Robin whispered to Lucina behind her. “This is all you.”

“You didn’t tell them did you?” The Ylissean princess asked, hoping that her friend did not or she would have been upset.

“I didn’t,” the tactician replied. “I told them that you need to fix your friendship with Palutena.”

“Good,” she said, relieved that Robin kept her promise. Lucina took a deep breath before confronting her former girlfriend.

“I’ll by your side, if you need me to talk about it afterward,” those were her last words before walking towards the table where the angels were. The swordswoman slowly walked towards the greenette. Her heart pounded faster by the sheer thought of making their relationship potentially worse than before. She walked past her and sat at a chair across from her.

“Oh, Lucina,” the goddess was not expecting to only have Lucina sit with her. “I thought the others were going to sit with us.”

“It was originally,” Lucina stammered before recollecting herself. “They’re sitting on the opposite side, discussing the tournament.”

“Hmm,” Palutena was bewildered by that strange logic. “They could’ve sat with us and discussed it here.”

“Don’t worry about that,” the bluenette rushed her comment, feeling a bit impatient to talk about the events after the sign up at the conference room. “I need to talk about something with you.”

“I think I know what this is about,” Palutena did not need to hear it since she knew what it was. “It’s about us after the conference room.”

She guessed right. Lucina was not even going to hide her intentions as her expression was self-explanatory. For the goddess, she felt fretful. She still wanted to get back together with the swordswoman but was afraid to get rejected. Her only hope was that Lucina would want to start their new relationship again.

“So, Lucina,” Palutena began the conversation. “What exactly do you want to talk about?”

“Lady Palutena,” the bluenette had a hard time saying out the words that she wanted to say. The only reason she did not want to discuss this at all was that it would make everything worse from the competition to their personal lives. It was all hypothetical, so she would not truly know until it actually happens. “Do you…still like me? As in, have feelings for me?”

There was an impulse that the greenette felt, knowing it was a surefire answer. However, something felt odd because she feared that giving everything to Lucina would get shattered into a million pieces. Eventually, she had an answer, and it was from her heart. “Yes, I still do. Lucina, my feelings for you never went away. I want to be with you again. I want to make things right between us. It was hard for me whenever I see you and Meta Knight together. You’re so happy when you’re with him, happier than when you were with me. I tried my best to not make things worse between us. I know you happy with him, and I will be supporting you in your choices of whomever you want to date.”

Palutena felt so relieved to express how she still had feelings for Lucina. It was all from her heart. Finally, she was able to express something that she had hid for some time. Lucina had a hunch that the goddess harbored romantic feelings for her. She thought that hearing those words would make her situation clearer, but it did not get better nor did it get worse. She still felt conflicted between her and Meta Knight mainly due to the development of her relationship with the Star Warrior.

“I don’t know what to say,” the Ylissean princess said, sounding like she was hopeless with her life.

“You don’t have to say anything,” the greenette held both of Lucina’s hands, radiating soft warmth from the goddess. “Lucina, let’s back together. Let’s go on a date.”

“I…um,” the swordswoman pulled back her hands and covered them over her face. It left Palutena feeling a bit heartbroken. Did Lucina reject the date through that behavior? It was not for certain but it gave her concerns. “I don’t know.”

“I don’t understand, Lucina,” Palutena had to ask because she denied the notion that the bluenette was rejecting her. “You said you felt same when I expressed my feelings for you.”

“I did say that,” she answered slowly, realizing that she could not lie about it.

“Then why do you not want to? Are you and Meta Knight dating? Do you not feel the same?” She became aggressive, which may not be the best idea to do since it looked bad on her part.

“We are not dating,” Lucina clarified. Her head tilted downward, frightened that her former girlfriend would be upset with her. Seeing her expression was something she would rather not see. “We’ve become more intimate and I enjoy being around his company.”

“Answer my last question.”

“Lady Palutena,” Lucina started. The goddess thought the response was going to be how she was a great person but it was best to leave it behind and move on. In essence, a long way of saying they should be friends only. “I still do.”

“You do?” Palutena had the biggest grin on her face before it shifted to heartbreaking.

“I don’t know who I want to be with. I can’t risk ruining my relationship with Meta Knight and yours if I had to make a choice.”

It was something that people would like, but it looked unrealistic because Lucina wanted to be with Palutena or Meta Knight. She could not decide. Right now, her mind had not truly found a clear choice. Consequently, she played it safe until the time was right.

“I’m sorry for being aggressive, Lucina,” Palutena sincerely apologized, knowing that continually being aggressive would lead to tension. The good thing was that she was genuinely apologetic for her poor behavior. “I just needed to express how much I-“

“I know,” the bluenette intervened before standing up with her food. “I’m sorry. I need some time to myself. Shall we meet tomorrow for training?”

”Yes,” the goddess agreed before looking her head down in disappointment.

Lucina had left the bakery, leaving Robin, Dark Pit, and Pit concerned with the conversation she had with Palutena. Pit was not sure what had transpired. Robin instinctively knew what might have happened. There was this gut-wrenching feeling she felt, which she knew that Palutena and Lucina getting back together looked bleak.

“Hey, Pit,” his doppelganger waved to his opposite self. “Let’s head back. We need to get some training done.”

“S-sure,” Pit had no objections as the tournament was something he would like to win. Dark Pit had a feeling that he wanted to leave Robin by herself. Coincidentally, she did but only to talk to the goddess alone. The quick glance between them was astonishing. It was as if they could communicate telepathically.

“Angel,” Dark Pit turned back to Robin as Pit went downstairs. He saw a pure smile coming from his lady, which he grinned. “You’re the best.”

“I’d do for you, my lady,” he said before departing. Robin was by herself, preparing to endure the agony that the greenette might express. She walked up to the goddess and decided to take matters into her owns hands for a bit.

“Don’t mind if I sat here?” Robin asked, hoping that Palutena would say yes, so she can have a conversation.

“Sure.” The tactician sat across from the goddess, exactly where Lucina sat. There was a brief awkward silence between the two. Palutena wanted to say something but thought it would be too personal for Robin to hear. The mage tried to initiate the conversation without being too invasive. Eventually, she broke the ice after pondering on the correct phrase to say. “How’s your food?”

It was not much, but it could initiate small talk.

“Is that what you really want to ask me?”

She caught on to Robin’s motives. Palutena easily read Robin like a book. The tactician was surprised that her response was like that. At the same time, why wouldn’t it be? She was Lucina’s best friend and she would tell everything to her. There was no way that Robin would circumvent the question. “No, that’s not what I really want to ask.”

“Can I ask you something?” Her eyes showed despair like the person she wanted to be with had chosen someone else over her.

“Um, what do you want to ask me?”

“Should I truly move on and fix myself?”

How should Robin even respond to that question? She was worried that if she lied, then Palutena would live on with a false sense of hope thinking Lucina would come back to her. On the other hand, if she told her everything she knew, then it could potentially disrupt her relationship with Lucina. The swordswoman put her trust on Robin to keep some things hidden. Robin had to answer quickly; otherwise, she will regret it later.

“To be completely honest,” Robin decided to follow the truth. She would rather come clean than tell a dirty lie. “You shouldn’t, and I’m going to tell you why. I don’t you to move on from Lucina. You can definitely improve yourself. I say this because Lucina still holds those feelings for you before you two started dating-“

“I don’t think her feelings for me are the same as they were back then,” the greenette disagreed preemptively, already losing the hope bit by bit. “Lucina clearly has more feelings for Meta Knight than me.”

“Oh, please,” Robin was disgusted by the thought of Lucina and Meta Knight together. “If you think that, then that’s a really funny joke.”

“You don’t think they should be together?” Palutena was a bit confused yet relieved that the mage felt that way.

“Hell no!” The tactician exclaimed, finally disclosing her true feelings for Lucina and Meta Knight. Luckily, no one was around, so it did not seem like it was an argument between two people. She felt dirty because she supported Lucina on her romantic partners, but she just disliked this one but had to hide from her. “I don’t know how I can see a human being and an anthropomorphic puff ball as a couple. The mere thought of it makes me cringe. It just doesn’t work at all. When Lucina was with you, at least it’s between two human beings except you’re a goddess. That’s not the only reason why. It’s just whenever Lucina would talk to me about her relationship with you, she has always had that pure smile every time she mentioned your name or the times you shared together. When I heard you two broke up, I was sad. I could not believe that a healthy relationship turned into dust by an overreaction.”

“You think I overreacted when Lucina put a bad taste to Pit like that?” Palutena went on the defensive, and Robin regretted ever saying the last few words of her sentence.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, feeling guilty about insulting Pit indirectly. “I don’t mean to taint his name like that. I thought that something like that wouldn’t be something to break up over.”

“If I was able to fix something in the past, I wish I hadn’t been too harsh to Lucina and calling her that horrible label,” Palutena finally admitted that she overreacted when she and Lucina terminated their relationship.

“There’s still a chance I presume?”

“Lucina told me she doesn’t know who she wants to be with,” Robin grinned at the sound of hope that Palutena and Lucina could get back together. “It’ll take time but I’m going to be myself and support Lucina in our tournament.”

“Atta girl,” the tactician slightly tapped the goddess before finally finishing the last bite of her food. “I’m glad I talked to you.”

“I’m glad that you still want us to be together,” Palutena felt a surge of confidence inside her. She had no clue where it came from, but Robin helped her find it. “Let’s head back. I want to train with Lucina tomorrow.”

“No sweat.”

When Palutena and Lucina trained for the competition, things went very well for them. Lucina had committed to learn and improve in order to stay alive for the tournament. She got what she desired since the goddess was willing to do the same as well. The only issue was their synergy. Whenever they fought against the computer fighters, their team combos were executed improperly or set up incorrectly. It bothered to them both because a good team required not just teamwork but a strong chemistry between the players. They lack that due to their personal issues with their relationship. It was a work in progress. However, after their training session, the Star Warrior came to see Lucina, wondering if she had completed her training for the day. Lucina was finished and went with Meta Knight to spend more time together. Palutena still kept a strong face, but her heart ached at the sight of it.

That day, Lucina and Meta Knight did individual sparing at the tree where the goddess and the swordswoman shared their first kiss together. Whenever they spare together, it was always an enjoyable time because Lucina would learn new skills or tactics that Meta Knight knew. It was also the same the other way. They learn from each other. Each time, the Star Warrior would compliment the bluenette’s precise swordplay and persistence. There were times after they finished fighting, the two would lay down arm in arm and watch the beautiful skies pass by. The more Meta Knight spent time with Lucina, the more he drew close and developed romantic feelings for her. There was no other woman who shared similar characteristics as he did, which made him open up to her.

It all changed one day.

A day before the next phase commenced, Lucina and Meta Knight spent their morning sparing together just to refresh their memory rather than perfect their form. It was not long for them to spar only to get a good feel from it. Once they have finished, Lucina had to meet Palutena for one last practice run before the tournament. However, Meta Knight had to say something that he had been on his mind.

“Lady Lucina,” the Star Warrior called, sounding a bit like he was in a rush.

“Something wrong?” Lucina turned around, wondering what was going on. She had a good feeling what he was going to say.

“I want to say how the recent times that we spent together have been spectacular,” it was not everything he wanted to say.

“It has been,” the bluenette agreed. Her suspicions were growing stronger. “I’m glad I got to know you. You’re more sensible than how people perceive you.”

“Thank you,” he chuckled and blushed a bit from her admiration. It was from that comment that Meta Knight was confident to speak up. “Lucina, my feelings for you are no longer as a comrade or just someone to talk to. You are one of the few people here that I feel like I’ve drawn to. It also helps that your eye of the Exalt made you unique, which I always liked. Every time I meet you, I get this strange feeling inside that I had never felt before. The more I spend time with you, that feeling becomes real to me. Lucina, I really like you. I want us to be more than what we are now.”

The swordswoman knew it. Based on his behavior and the way he was articulating his words, it was a clear sign that Meta Knight wanted a romantic relationship with her. Just when things got complicated with Palutena, it just got worse. Lucina’s mind would be clouded with darker haze, putting much more stress on her than the tournament itself. She would probably have to talk to Robin about her situation again.

However, something was different. Lucina felt nothing from that. It was not she did not like those words; it was something else. She thought she would develop feelings for Meta Knight like when she used to date Palutena. She did not realize until later that this was not the case.

Lucina may not know it now, but her answer is now drawing closer quicker than she anticipated.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The tournament had now begun. Sixteen teams fighting in Classic Smash mode. Who will move on from here? Will Palutena and Lucina get back together throughout this tournament?

After Meta Knight confessed his feelings for Lucina, the bluenette had no idea how to respond to that. She told him that she had to think it over before giving her answer. The Star Warrior was fine with it but felt a bit worried that she would not reciprocate soon.

This phase of the tournament will tally scores differently from the last round. Of course, this round only had one event while the previous phase had multiple events that competitors participated. For the Classic Smash, the teams will fight a certain number of Smashers in two rounds. The two factors that will determine the score were time and number of opponents. A good strategy was to fight a few opponents and try to beat them as quickly as possible to optimize their scores. Afterward, they would face 15 Mii fighters where time was the primary factor in receiving points. Successfully passing these three rounds will take you directly to the Master Core. At any point, if both members lose their two lives, then they would be given a second chance but will be redacted points for doing so. Teams have to perform near perfect in order to stay alive for the competition.

To make the competition tougher, Palutena and Lucina were one of the first teams to start out in the Classic Smash round. Even though they practiced many simulations of the exact Classic Smash run, they were the first team to start the second round of the tournament. They were like guinea pigs because other teams would observe how they perform and strategize their own play to stay atop of the leaderboard.

During their timeframe of Classic Smash, their performance had been lackluster. They had six trials during their two hours given to them but were unable to complete the entire run. The fight against the Smashers and Mii fighters were easily taken care of. What gave Palutena and Lucina the hardest time was the Master Core. The first three trials, they managed to defeat Master Giant and Beast several times. They mostly struggled against Master Edges because of the unpredictability of its attacks and agility. The last three tries they had they still could not defeat Master Edges even when its health was low.

They now had one final attempt before their time was up. If they do not defeat all four Master forms, then the chances of them progressing further in the tournament were little to none. Before the tournament began, the media had talked about which teams would likely to win the entire thing. Palutena and Lucina were never mentioned as the candidates most likely to win the tournament. It mostly made Lucina doubt herself about her capability of being as skilled as the veterans who were all venerated by many.

Meanwhile back at the mansion where the white room was located, Robin had watched Lucina’s entire performance. Each time the trial ended without defeating the Master Core, she had bitten her robe, fingernails, and hair strands. From her behavior, the tactician was stressed out. She had a thought that if Lucina and Palutena make it far in the tournament, then maybe they would get back together somehow. It was a stretch, but it was possible. Robin hoped that things went well for the swordswoman. She should also worry about herself as well. The mage was so focused on helping out Lucina and Zelda that she barely had time to focus on herself.

“What are you stressed out about?” It was a voice that Robin did not like to hear. Falco walked up behind and sat next to her in the lounge. “You’re certainly not at your finest when stressed.”

“I am stressed out,” Robin admitted, deciding to not act hostile towards Falco not matter how much she disliked him.

“Why don’t you tell me about it?” The bird still had motives to get with the tactician even though she made it clear after making a deal of having one date together. “I can try my best to help you get through it.”

_“Is this guy serious?”_ she thought to herself. Robin could not believe what she was hearing. Did she really think that Falco wanted to help her cope with stress, or was there some ulterior motive behind it? However, she still distrusted him, so the mage went with her intuition. “It’s something very personal that I promised to not disclose to anyone.”

“Come on,” the arwing pilot was not going to let Robin keep things to herself. “It’s not healthy to keep things to yourself when it’s eating you alive.”

“I told you that I don’t want to disclose it. It’s something personal between me and someone else.”

“Hey,” Falco got a little agitated by Robin’s refusal to accept his offer. “You need to get something off your chest. You’ll regret it later.”

“Hey,” a voice of the dark angel intervened after overhearing the conversation. “Leave her alone.”

“You can’t tell me what to do,” Falco stood up and was in front of Dark Pit. Neither was intimidated by each other. Their eyes showed bitter rivalry and dense dislike towards each other. “I’m just trying to help Robin open up to me.”

“You better listen to her words,” the black angel was ready to give him a good talk. “If she says she doesn’t want to talk about it because it’s personal, then you respect her choice. What’s so hard about that?”

“Oh, and you know how to win a lady’s heart?” Falco asked in an insulting manner, which ticked off Dark Pit.

“I don’t but,” he was not having it. He was about to make the bird look bad. “At least I’m not the one who blackmails someone just to get a date.”

“You shouldn’t have said that clone,” that was the last thing Falco said after swinging a punch at Dark Pit’s jaw. The dark angel fell down and had trouble getting up.

“What the fuck, Falco?!” Robin hollered, running to Dark Pit to check to see any injuries were noticeable on his face. “Are you trying to kill him?!”

“He shouldn’t have insulted me,” he defended his aggression before crossing his arms together. “He knew what he got himself into.”

“You really couldn’t handle a single insult, so you resort to violence to make yourself feel better?” Robin questioned Falco’s philosophy on handling issues. She then turned to Dark Pit to see if he was conscious. “Angel, are you okay?”

“Angel?” Falco was a bit bewildered by Robin’s nickname to Dark Pit. “Why do you call him that? He’s nothing like an angel.”

“He is to me!” She had fired back, not aware that Dark Pit was conscious and breathing. “Angel is one of the few guys here, actually, the _only_ guy here who I can finally talk to whenever I want.”

“Are you serious?” The bird chuckled in denial, thinking that Robin was joking around. “This is the personal thing you’re trying to hide? Do you actually like that guy? He’s just like your friend, Lucina-“

“Don’t…you…fucking…dare…insult Angel and Lucina just because they’re clones in Smash,” Robin walked up, grabbed Falco’s torso, and gave the deadliest stare she had given to anyone. “I swear you better leave Lucina out of this, and I will gladly let you live without being my dinner.”

“Don’t get upset, babe,” Falco tried to be calm and cool. “I won’t drag your friend into this.”

“You better damn better be,” the mage threw the arwing pilot away before lifting Dark Pit up who was rubbing his right jaw. “Angel, are you okay?”

He said nothing. He walked up to Falco and punched him right back, which he fell over the couch.

“Angel! Stop! Don’t resort to violence, please?” Robin then had an expression that showed melancholy and worries. Dark Pit glanced and immediately regretted his assault on Falco.

“Falco,” the dark angel spoke to the bird who was trying to stand up. “I’m sorry. My anger got the best of me. I shouldn’t have punched you like that.”

Then something strange happened. Falco expressed remorse, sadness, and embarrassment for himself. Dark Pit and Robin were completely astonished by this observation. It was not for sure that the bird had a sudden change in character until he said something.

“Dark Pit, Robin,” the recipients acknowledged the pilot’s words. “I’m sorry. I’m a complete asshole to you two. Sorry.”

He walked away with his eyes closed to swallow his pride. The lounge remained quiet. Smashers, who were spectating and warming up for their event, returned to their normal routine. Because of that incident, they began to speculate what had transpired.

Dark Pit and Robin stood next to each other in awkward silence. Neither had the courage to speak up on what had happened just now. Lucina’s last trial was not on live television yet. There was still time. The only thing that matters now was the tactician and the dark angel’s relationship status after the debacle between them and Falco.

“Angel.”

“Robin.”

Both had said each other’s names simultaneously, even more, confused on how to begin such a conversation.

“Robin,” Dark Pit began as he had many things to say to his lady. “I know that you aren’t happy that I punched Falco. To be fair, he punched me first and I didn’t want to back down like that, so I thought I had to retaliate just to make myself look tough.”

“I’m glad that you didn’t continuously beat the living days out of him,” the mage said her opinion, which came off as serious yet a little humorous. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

“You didn’t,” he disagreed before standing closely in front of the tactician. “He was bothering you because you didn’t want to say something that was personal to you. I had to tell him to back off.”

“I’m grateful for that,” Robin felt something strange inside her now that she revealed to Falco about how she felt about Dark Pit. “Thanks for having my back.”

“You would’ve done the same for me,” both giggled because it was true that Robin would have done the same if it was the other way around. Now there was something on Dark Pit’s mind right now. He wondered if Robin saw him as a special someone compared to the other male Smashers. He needed to know, and he certainly was not going to investigate without her finding out about it. “Robin, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“What you said about me,” Robin knew what the dark angel meant when she explained to Falco why she called Dark Pit, Angel. “Was it true?”

“What’s true?” She was still unsure where he was leading on even though she clearly knew what he was trying to convey. Robin was waiting for the right moment.

“You calling me Angel because that’s what I am to you? A-and how I am the only guy who you can normally talk to just relieve some stress?”

Robin can finally answer those questions but not with words. She was going to give her response by something else. The tactician leaned closer to the dark angel, placed her hands on his shoulders, and planted her lips on his lips. Dark Pit did not expect Robin to kiss him just like that, but he was not complaining. He placed his hands on the side of Robin’s waist and kissed her back. It felt like fireworks bursting into their minds. Dark Pit wanted to kiss the mage ever since he got to know her. He sometimes thought that he and Robin were just best friends at best. He would have never thought that Robin felt something more than that. Finally, they broke the kiss and stared into each other’s eyes. Both had cracked a smile, pleased with the fact that they had revealed their feelings to each other.

“So… is that a yes or a no?” Dark Pit added a joke to make the environment a little lighter.

“You’re a funny angel, Angel,” Robin teased back before getting all serious. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Angel, you’re the one who I can put my jokes into use without making it look weird. Each time we hang out, there’s never a single thought that crossed my mind that it was boring. No. I cherished those memories. I want to make more of them with you. I love you, Angel.”

“I love you too, Robin” Dark Pit had shed some tears after hearing those four words from Robin and reciprocating the same to his tactician. “Does this mean we’re a thing now?”

“It would be unless you ask me out first,” the dark angel had a feeling that it was not that easy. He nodded, acknowledging the fact that they need to go on several dates first before they can make themselves a couple.

“Robin, do you want to go out with me?”

“Yes, Angel, I want to go out with you.”

Both embraced each other, sharing this memorable moment that shall last for their lives. First, Samus and Zelda and now Robin and Dark Pit. There was only Palutena and Lucina left if they get back together or not. Right now, their tournament was at stake. Failing to complete the entire Classic Smash run would mean elimination from the tournament likely due to the fact other teams were higher ranked than they were.

Before their final trial, Palutena noticed that Lucina appeared distressed by the fact that they were on the verge of elimination even though they were the first ones to go. She felt like she had to do something to make her feel better. Not only that, the goddess also believed that in doing so would she and the bluenette get back together.

At the lounge, the greenette decided to motivate the bluenette one last time before going into the competition. They must have missed Robin and Dark Pit admitting their love for each other because they were performing their previous trial earlier.

“Lucina,” Palutena called to her teammate behind her. “I can tell you’re not feeling great.”

“I’m sorry,” the swordswoman was not going to fabricate her response. She turned to the goddess. “I’m not as confident as I thought I would be.”

“Is it because we aren’t doing well?”

“Yes.”

“I understand that you want to do well, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it,” the goddess tried her best to make Lucina feel better in some way.

“Do you know why I want to perform well at this tournament?” Lucina asked sounding like Palutena did not understand her at all.

“I do know,” she held the swordswoman’s hands and stood close to her. “You want to prove yourself that you aren’t like anyone else. Not to Marth. Despite that, you want to change people’s perceptions of you as a formidable warrior and one of the best swordfighters here.”

“How do you know that?” Lucina had to admit that that was her reasons for this tournament.

“You would tell me more about yourself personally when we used to be together.”

The bluenette reminisced about the times she and Palutena had deep conversations. She always enjoyed those kinds of talks because it showed a side of someone that no one could see. As a result, she cracked a smile by the sheer thought of it. Palutena took notice, which made her content because it may lead to something better.

“I’m not disagreeing with your motives,” the goddess added, feeling the need to explicitly say that she will support her swordswoman. “I will always be by your side because I like that you’re making a positive influence on people. You don’t let the negatives put you down. You turn them into positives. That’s what I always liked about you.”

Lucina could not help but blush at Palutena’s compliment. She thought to herself, _“Why am I blushing? What is Lady Palutena trying to accomplish here? But I do like the compliment. She still cares for me. Wait, what am I saying? She said she still has feelings for me. AAHH! I don’t know. I’m still conflicted._

“Anyways,” the greenette continued on. “I know we’re going to put on a good show. We can’t let the previous trials get to us. They were just practices before the real deal. Ready?”

“I’m ready.”

They felt much better than they had ever been since the start of their Classic Smash trials. Going into the first three rounds, they cruised through at ease. It was their best performance so far because they had converted their team combos better and killed Smashers and Miis much quicker than they usually did. Was this because of Palutena’s kind and supportive words to Lucina that gave them the boost they need to power through their final trial? The other competitors took notice of the sudden improvement in their chemistry for the first three rounds. Many were impressed by how they were able to overcome the mental struggle of trying to perform well but falling short. Robin was still as anxious as she was during her friend’s previous attempts. Dark Pit tried his best to calm her down, which did help since they finally became a thing.

On Final Destination, Palutena and Lucina stood together in the middle of the stage before Master Hand and Crazy Hand descended down from the skies. Once they were prepared to fight, both women were determined to succeed no matter the dire situations they may be in.

“Lucina, I’ll fight Crazy and you fight Master Hand,” the goddess commanded to the bluenette.

“Understood,” Lucina acknowledged her goddess’s suggestion.

Once the match had commenced, both had charged towards their respective opponents. Lucina had thrust her Falchion upward, dealing a good amount of damage. Palutena conjured a cyan beam that erupted from the ground. The swordswoman took a quick glance as she executed her first attack. Her strong grounded, upward attack coincided with the goddess’s move as well. The timing was meticulous, which baffled her a little. There was this unusual sudden synergy coming from the both of them. Lucina dismissed it as a coincidence, but it felt strange to her. Before she could even think about it, Master Hand and Crazy Hand began with a team combo. The right hand tossed several mini blue-green orbs towards the left hand who then swatted them back to Master Hand. Once Lucina dodged the orbs that the right hand threw out, she swung her blade in an inward horizontal slash twice before looking where the orbs were. Palutena telekinetically spun her staff around herself. She had to be at the edge of the stage as Crazy Hand threw a large blue-green orb at its right hand who then flicked it towards Lucina. The swordswoman jumped and air dodged the move before executing a back-flipping, upward arcing slash. The goddess continued her cyan beam attack until Master Hand and Crazy Hand’s powers began to ebb. The left hand disintegrated into dark flames while the right hand flailed around before ripping and merged with the dark flames to become Master Core.

“Oh, fuck,” Robin cursed as she covered her entire face with her hands while leaving room for her eyes to see. Dark Pit placed his left arm around Robin to ensure she would relax.

The merge had become a swarm of black particles circling around itself before transforming into its first form, Master Giant. As it was getting ready to fight, Palutena and Lucina quickly sprang into action to deal some damage before the Giant started to attack. They managed to damage the monster a reasonable amount before it swung its arm horizontally at the ground level of the stage. Instinctively, both women jumped to escape the second slash that immediately came after. While in the air, Palutena slammed the Giant with her shield while Lucina swung her Falchion in an upward motion behind her.

_“Again, her aerial is the same as mine,”_ Lucina thought to herself, being fascinated yet bewildered by this phenomenon. _“I know she doesn’t read my thoughts, but we do the same aerials at certain times. Why is this happening?”_

Once they landed, the Giant generated two additional, glowing arms. Both arms would sweep the stage to catch either woman. Trying to react, Lucina tripped and fell onto the ground. The arms were closer to grabbing the bluenette. Palutena glided towards her swordswoman to guard her as a shield. As a result, the goddess was grabbed instead of Lucina.

“Lady Palutena!” The bluenette cried out her name but in vain. She was shocked that the greenette took the hit rather than dealing damage to the Giant. The goddess went inside the Giant’s head and was dealt damage by its consumption. All of the sudden, Lucina felt this disgusted vibe inside her and wanted to seriously main the Giant. She aggressively swung her blade in a downward angle several times before Palutena was launched towards the ground. The bluenette rushed to her goddess to see if she was in good condition. “Lady Palutena, are you okay?”

“Don’t worry about me, Lucy,” the greenette got up without realizing the nickname she just gave to Lucina. “Save it for later. We got a match to settle.”

The Ylissean princess nodded before turning her focus to the Giant. Although Palutena did not look, Lucina smiled, pleased that her teammate did not have major injuries from that attack. Both women hopped towards the monster to continue attacking. Lucina swung her blade inward then outward several times while Palutena twirled around and emitted her halo simultaneously. She repeated the same attacks until the Giant spewed out black particles from the attack it had taken. Two more until it breaks.

The Giant targeted Lucina to headbutt. Luckily, the bluenette perfectly timed her roll dodge so she did not take any hit. As it was stuck, Palutena got close to the Giant’s head, created ethereal wings and flapped them forward to get the strongest damage possible. The Ylissean rotated her body to lunge a downward arc slash. Another set of black particles came out. They were close to sealing the deal. The Giant opened its head, creating a vacuum effect around it. Both women ran away from the effects so they don’t get sucked in. The goddess illuminated her staff to hit the Giant with her reticles. It was little damage, but it was better than nothing. The electric orbs came up behind them to catch them. However, Palutena and Lucina jumped to evade all the spheres. While the Giant was in cooldown from its attack, the goddess and the swordswoman executed their up smash to defeat the Giant.

One down, three more to go. The black swarm transformed into a scorpion-like creature known as the Master Beast. The first thing it did was it jumped out of the stage, targeted the greenette, and dove to bite her. Palutena meticulously parried with her shield for a counter move, reflecting the attack much stronger than its original power. The first black particles spewed out, two more times and it’ll be defeated. The Beast leaped up very high before body slamming its target, Lucina. She learned the timing of its attack from training, so she was ready to parry. Once the Beast landed, the damage was reflected much stronger than before. As a result, it spewed out another set of the swarm. This Beast was easy for them since they can abuse their counter ability to deflect its attacks. The Beast spawned spikes on its back. Then there were shadows crossing Palutena and Lucina. The greenette jumped towards the Beast to dodge its attack while Lucina was going to parry. Palutena’s roundhouse kick and Lucina’s parry was enough to kill the Beast without breaking a sweat. Soon they had to face the tougher form, Master Edges.

It had five sabers. When looking at its form, it resembled a hand. The Edges launched two small spherical projectiles before sending out another two. It then came around to hit the women from behind. Both jumped to evade the projectiles. Lucina swung her sword inward and outward while Palutena twirled and emitted her halo. They repeated the same move again before the Edges was ready to attack again. The monster followed Lucina and it emitted a large flash of light to distract the swordswoman. Before she was hit, Palutena grabbed the bluenette’s cape and threw her back and took the hit instead. The goddess was hit with all five edges in one simultaneous slash.

Lucina could not believe what she was experiencing. Palutena kept taking damage for her instead of countering with an attack whenever the opportunity was given. It did not help because the goddess was at enough high percentage to lose her first life. She felt horrible for herself because Palutena did not deserve to be a shield to her. At the same time, she wondered why her ex-girlfriend was doing that. Regardless, the bluenette hopped, rotated her body, and slashed her Falchion behind her. She did it two more times, which the Edges lost its first set of black particles.

The Edges threw out its projectiles again. Because Palutena was the closest to getting hit, Lucina ran in front of her to take the damage herself.

“Lucina,” the goddess said to her teammate in concern. “What are you doing?”

“You shielded me from its attacks. Now I return the favor,” Palutena blushed at the fact that the swordswoman did what she did the other way around.

From that distraction, the Edges glided towards both women before initiating a series of flurry slashes, trapping them inside the vortex of dark blades. After getting numerous hits with the weaker strikes, the Edges delivered the final, more powerful slash. It was strong enough to send Palutena far away from the stage and lose her first life. She respawned and was ready to fight again. Lucina ran next to her as if she was guarding her against an enemy. Master Edges spaced all five blades to surround the entire stage. The four smaller swords swept the stage. Palutena managed to dodge the attacks, but Lucina mistimed her dodge and was trapped in the combo. The final blade swung down vertically. Palutena parried with her shield to deflect the attack. However, the bluenette could not escape the final blow and lost her first life consequently. Both women were in their last life. They cannot risk losing both, or they will not advance at all if the other teams do better than they do. The goddess quickly charged up her cyan beam and unleashed a much stronger attack, which miraculously killed Master Edges.

One final form to defeat before it was over. This was all or nothing. The black swarm spun around and was transforming into something. They do not know the true form of the final form since the training module only depicted the shadow versions of Mii fighters. Palutena and Lucina knew this would not be the case in the actual tournament. Once the swarm was visible, they saw Master Shadow. It was not what they had expected. It was a larger form of Palutena. No one expected the final form of the Master Core in this particular tournament to be the shadow version of themselves.

Both women charged at the shadow to strike, but Shadow Palutena conjured up her dark, ethereal wings and flapped them on both sides, hitting both fighters. Master Shadow went for Palutena and fought her one-on-one for a moment. The greenette kneeled and twirled her staff forward. The shadow took damage but was not sent back at all; it lost some its particles and shrunk instead. It then it grabbed the greenette and slammed her onto the ground. Lucina ran up behind to lunge her Falchion outward. It dealt with damage but no knockback. The bluenette tried to swing her blade in a downward angle, but the shadow parried her shield, sending Lucina back a good distance. Master Shadow continued its setup and struck Palutena with her shield. The goddess tried to attempt a downward roundhouse kick but the shadow charged her dark beam and its beam went through Palutena. It did not send her far at all. She simply fell through the beam and landed on the ground.

Lucina was petrified by the injuries that Palutena may have had. The moment gave her flashbacks when the Ylissean accidentally stabbed through the goddess with her Falchion. The horrifying images engendered Lucina to scream in horror. For the first time in a while, she felt afraid to fight. Part of her wanted to give up, just accept the loss and be done with the stresses of the tournament. That is until Palutena looked at her woman.

“Lucina,” the greenette spoke coarsely while struggling to get up and keeping a grin on her face. The shadow was charging its wings to finish her off. “It’s all up to you. Show everyone the power you have. Fight for your future. Lucina, I…lo-“

Palutena had been knocked away and lost her second life. It was all up to Lucina now. Her nervousness struck her hard, but she kept breathing deeply to calm herself. The shadow turned around to face the bluenette.

“AAAHHH! Please don’t lose Lucy!” Robin screamed at the monitor, which startled the dark angel.

“Don’t get too anxious,” Dark Pit tried to calm his lady down.

“I can’t, Angel!” The tactician covered herself on the doppelganger’s shoulders. “I can’t look anymore! Please tell me what happens!”

“Dammit, woman!” He moved back, so Robin could look at the screen. “You have to see how Lucina is gonna do. Otherwise, how else are you going cheer and support her?”

“Urgh, fine,” she groaned and gazed at the match while pulling her hair and watching intently.

Lucina tried to play safe by swinging her Falchion inward and outward along with an aerial downward slash to space the shadow out. It was working until Master Shadow used auto-reticle to force the bluenette to approach. Because Lucina kept shielding and was getting hit, she had no choice but to attack. She ran up and crossed up the Shadow’s shield with her back aerial attack. Unfortunately, Shadow Palutena instantly jumped and struck the blunette with her shield. Nothing was working. Lucina had no idea how to defeat against Master Shadow. Even though she managed to shrink the shadow down to her size, the task of defeating it was much more difficult than she initially thought. Both clashed their weapons and tried to push down each other. But then the most bizarre thing that only Lucina was able to experience happened. The shadow spoke to her.

“Do you really think you can get together with me?” Master Shadow’s voice sounded exactly like Palutena’s. It was messing with the Ylissean’s head so much that she was hesitant to fight back.

“What?” Lucina’s expression showed fear of being hurt. Her voice was shaking with nervousness. She had a feeling that the Master Shadow may be right about between her and Palutena.

“I gave you everything, and you shattered it into a million pieces. And then what did you do? You decided to stab my back and kiss up that Star Warrior, Meta Knight. Is this how you want it to be? Did you ever love me? No, you didn’t. I was right about you all along. You’re nothing but a clone.”

Shadow Palutena jumped back while Lucina stood frozen by the harsh words that the Master Shadow was able to say. How did Master Hand know that Palutena and Lucina were together at one point? More importantly, how did he even _know_ about their relationship throughout its span from the dates to breakup to its conflict with someone else? She thought it was an illusion. Both charged at each other and clashed their weapon repeatedly.

“Worthless.”

Another clash.

“Nothing more than a clone.”

Another clash.

“Just a waste of space added to the roster.”

Another clash.

“You should have never been here in the first place.”

Lucina leaped back. She took the words with a grain of salt, but she let those insults flow through her like a stone on a river. The bluenette gripped her Falchion much tighter and expressed the most determined she had ever felt.

“Insult me all you want,” she began. “I’m here to prove everyone wrong and myself right. My goal is to show everyone that I’m not the same as Marth. I am my own unique person. My label in Smash will not shape my fate. Only I can do that.” Lucina thought of the people who supported her along the way in Smash. Then there were two people that vividly crossed her mind: Meta Knight and Palutena. She knew that she wanted to be with someone, but it was still unclear who. Her eyes opened and ran towards the shadow. “For Palutena!”

She leaped towards Master Shadow who shielded to counter an aerial attack. However, the swordswoman quickly landed and grabbed the shadow. While grabbing with her one arm, she continuously kneed the enemy before flinging it away. Although the knockback distance was far, Lucina went to jump to follow where Shadow Palutena went. Master Shadow tried to roundhouse kick the bluenette from the bottom, Lucina hurriedly landed and slashed in an overhead arc, keeping the opponent in the air. Shadow Palutena decided to land without being aggressive to reset the fight. Lucina followed her to the left end of Final Destination and stood, waiting for her foe to strike. Master Shadow took the bait and tried to grab Lucina. However, the Ylissean took a step back, causing Shadow Palutena to whiff her grab before getting hit with a powerful lunging downward slash. Although Lucina let her opponent return to the stage, she wanted only one way to end the fight. She walked towards Master Shadow who got up on the stage and grabbed her at the perfect time.

“So if you think I’m a worthless clone,” Lucina said with a serious expression while Master Shadow laughed at her attempt. What the enemy did not expect was a thrust through its chest while being held by the swordswoman. Shadow Palutena was stunned to see an unexpected move by Lucina who had a smirk on her face. “Then you just got your ass beaten by one.”

The Master Shadow slowly disintegrated and the final form of the Master Core was defeated. It was all over. Lucina through her determination and persistence finished the Classic Smash run with an impressive final run that may put them way ahead of the competitors who had not even gone yet. Their competition was done until the last team competed in this phase. The bluenette was back at the white room where she was applauded by many Smashers for her amazing performance. Robin ran up to her, hugged her, and jumped up in glee over her friend’s spectacular showcase. Meta Knight came up to her and hugged her as well after Robin who was not pleased by it. His affection for Lucina was still there, but Lucina’s eyes looked at the goddess who had a beautiful smile after she saw the swordswoman win for them. Once everyone went back to their normal routine, Meta Knight had to watch and analyze another team who was up next with his partner. Lucina walked up to Palutena and squeezed her as tightly as she could.

“My, you’re tense,” the goddess teased the bluenette. Palutena did not mind because Lucina was hugging her.

“I did it for you,” the Ylissean softly said as she continued to embrace the goddess. “I may have shown people what I can do, but I’m still far from achieving my goal.”

“I know you can reach it. I will always believe in you.”

Later than evening, Lucina was in her room. She had cleaned up after a wild competition that she had experienced. Her thoughts raced around Meta Knight and Palutena. She still was conflicted between them. The light had not shown her the path. It was still there, but Lucina had not found it. She looked at herself in the mirror and placed her left hand on her chest, feeling her heartbeat.

“It’s still a bit unclear, but I think I may have found my answer.”


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The competition was still underway. Half of the competitors already had completed their phase in Classic Smash. So far, eight teams had gone but only three teams managed to complete the entire mode: the team of Palutena and Lucina, Meta Knight and Link, and Marth and Roy. This had put the greenette and the bluenette in a good advantage because the other remaining of the eight was basically eliminated unless there were fewer teams that completed the entire Classic run. Regardless, the likeliness of advancing further in the tournament was great. Other teams: female and male Robin, Pit and Dark Pit, Falco and Fox, and Samus and Zelda were the latter half to compete in their competition. Unfortunately, Pit and Dark Pit failed to complete a single Classic Smash run during their entire time slot. Dark Pit was not upset at all since he realized how difficult the mode was. Pit surprisingly took the loss well; he acknowledged how difficult the four forms of Master Core were. Analyzing other teams were not enough for them to progress further in the competition. On the bright side, the white angel can now support his goddess in the tournament. The Robins sadly did not make it either. They reached to Master Shadow and were close to defeating it two times. However, the shadow read their defensive rolling habit and caught them with a Thoron. Robin was a bit upset that she let herself get read by a roll. The other Robin, on the other hand, was impressed by it and conceded his defeat. Falco and Fox managed to close out the win over their Master Shadow with Fox ending it with his spinning kick offstage in which he dragged the shadow down before jumping on its head to escape thus defeating it. Samus and Zelda were on their last trial and struggled to defeat Master Edges and Master Shadow, but they have been close to winning.

Before watching their match, Robin had something to talk about with her male counterpart. Now that she and Dark Pit confessed their love for each other, she understood something that she had not previously felt before. This was the right time to make up with her male counterpart.

“Hey,” she called to him while he was getting tea at the lounge.

“Oh, is there something you need from me?” He answered after sipping a bit from the cup.

“There is,” her expressed was remorse, and the male Robin had no clue why she was feeling that way.

“Well, you don’t look too happy about the competition,” Robin pointed out the obvious, but he knew that was not the reason why. “Is there another reason for this?”

“I don’t think I’ve told you this but,” she took a deep breath before revealing everything to her counterpart. “After the debacle between Falco and Angel, Angel and I talked about it afterward. He asked me about how he meant a lot to me and wanted to know if it was true. Rather than saying it, I kissed him and told him that I love him. He also felt the same to me-“

“Oh, so does that mean you and Dark Pit are now officially a couple?” He smiled just by hearing the good news, but he was not completely content.

“Not officially, but after a few dates, we will be,” Robin cracked a little grin by the sheer thought of her and Dark Pit dating after waiting for so long. “But I realized something from that.”

“What did you realize?”

“I realized the feeling that I felt was the same that you felt with Lucina,” she felt relieved by expressing how she felt, which alleviated her burden of stress a bit. Her male counterpart was touched by her words that he cracked a genuine smile. Robin even caught him having water coming out from his right eye. “It’s the feeling of knowing someone that you cared for so much that admitting those feelings and having that person feel the same is one the most beautiful things I’ve felt in a long time. I hated myself for disregarding your relationship with Lucina as not real. I was so fucking stupid to even think of that,” Robin began tearing up and had a hard time developing her sentences since she was caught up on regretting her actions towards the male Robin. “A-and when Lucina dated Palutena, I never realized how much pain you had to deal with at that time. Each time Lucina talked about how much she really liked being around her, I never even considered how you felt. I was so selfish for overlooking that. I-I…how can I exist when you had to go through that cycle of grief?”

The male Robin closed his eyes but still smiled at his counterpart’s realization about he felt about Lucina throughout their lives here. He placed his cup of tea on a coastal, walked up to her, and embraced while shedding some tears after hearing some empathy from Robin. The woman had cried after hugging him back.

“I’m sorry for everything,” she also was glad that she reconciled with her male counterpart. “I hope you can forgive me.”

“I already do,” he softly said before breaking the hug. “I’m glad there’s someone who can feel empathy about how I felt with Lucina. Now that we’re no longer together, I’m okay. I’ve moved on.”

“You’re a strong man,” she wiped the tears with her robe.

“Oh, about that deal I made for you,” he said after remembering about it all of a sudden. Robin took notice and wanted to know what she had to do to be free from it. “Forget about it.”

“Wait, what?” She was confused because she still wanted to accomplish that deal.

“I wanted you to understand how I felt about Lucina after we were done,” he explained, which made her joyous. “You understand now. That’s all I ask for. You’ve been through a lot. There’s no need to put more stress on you.”

Robin chuckled just thriving that everything that was happening to her was getting better. It felt like a high on how great life was for her. Her tears had stopped running from her eyes before calming herself down.

“I’m going to watch Zelda on her tournament; do you want to watch with me?”

“I could spare my time. I wish them the best.”

“Especially since she and Samus are… uhh-“

“Are they dating?” He instantly figured out what she was trying to hide.

“Yeah,” she admitted slowly and shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry that I didn’t tell you.”

“I mean,” he widened his eyes a bit awkwardly. “I didn’t know, but at least they’re happy.”

“I could tell when Zelda told me. Anyways, let’s go.”

Both Robins did not have to walk far as the monitor was behind them. They sat down to watch Samus and Zelda perform in the Classic Smash. Before they were on screen, Dark Pit came to see his lady but did not expect her counterpart to be with her.

“Hey, Robin,” even though that was for her, both Robins turned to Dark Pit as he addressed them to both indirectly. “Oh, um, I got you some food.”

“Aw,” she saw that the dark angel brought her favorite sandwich. “You got my favorite. What an angel.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t get you anything, male Robin,” the black angel forgot to get more food even though he had no idea that the Avatar would be there.

“No worries,” he did not mind the apology. “I’m not hungry anyway.”

Once Dark Pit settled, they were ready anytime when Samus and Zelda decide to compete in their final trial.

Lucina was not sure if she wanted to go to the lounge to watch the competitors’ matches. The bluenette was worried if Robin was going to pester about her complicated relationship. Not only was the mage the only one she wanted to not interact with, also Palutena and Meta Knight. It was not because she wanted to avoid them; the swordswoman needed alone time. Rather than going to people for help, Lucina thought that she should find the light in her path on her own. Her decision kept her inside of her own room and watched the matches on her television.

She heard something vibrating coming from her desk. It was her phone. Lucina still had some difficulty understanding the modern technology but had improved on how the contraption worked. Looking at the screen, the bluenette saw that she received a text message from the female tactician. Opening up the message, it read: _“Lucy, want to watch the matches in the lounge? Angel and Avatar are here.”_

Lucina instinctively typed her response as: _“Thank you for the offer, but I must decline.”_

She waited until her friend received the message. It was not long before Robin read and responded. Her text showed: _“Is there something wrong? You can talk about it with me, if you like.”_

The bluenette expected the mage to try to talk things out. She immediately typed back: _“You know what I am thinking about, but I want to be alone. I need some time to myself. I hope you understand.”_

Robin received and read the message that Lucina had sent her. She was still concerned for her blue-haired friend but again understood where she was getting at. The tactician replied: _“I understand, Lucy. I’ll leave you be. Hope everything works out!”_

A simple _“Thank you”_ was all the bluenette had to type before watching the tournament. Then, a knock was heard on the door. Lucina was confused as to who could be at her door at this time. It was certainly not Robin because she was in the lounge. It did not appear to be Palutena because the Ylissean remembered how the goddess knocked on her door in a specific way, which was the rhythm of her return when Pit had fought Medusa before Hades. There was one more person who would come to her, and she had a hunch that it was him.

The person behind her door was none other than Meta Knight. Was it a surprise? No. It was a bit obvious, but she still had to be sure.

“Sir Meta Knight,” she acted like she was surprised that he stopped by. “I did not anticipate your arrival. What brings you here?”

“I am here because I wanted to know if you were busy today,” the Star Warrior responded with him sounding as normal as he was despite not being anxious about the current situation between him and Lucina.

“I am not occupied with anything other than watching the tournament,” Lucina knew where this was going from the minute he spoke. She tried to hide it so that she was onto his little game.

“My lady Lucina,” Meta Knight flew up and grabbed both of the bluenette’s hands with his hands. Lucina was not expecting Meta Knight to be making physical contact without warning. “Accompany me in watching the tournament together as a date.”

Lucina really did not want to deal with this right now. All she wanted was time to herself just to clear her head. This was the worst time for Meta Knight to ask Lucina on a date.

“As much as I want to,” she began just so he would not get upset over a rejection. “I’m not in the best mood right now, and I want some time to myself. Please understand. It’s not that I don’t want to; it’s just I’m not in the right mind to think about that.”

“I understand,” he took it shockingly well. The Star Warrior’s mindset was that Lucina had to deal with something personal that he had no business in, so he respected her choice and left her be until the time was right. “Soon our time will come. You and I will seize our fate together.”

He had departed likely to watch the tournament elsewhere. Meanwhile, Lucina closed and locked her door. She had to process what had transpired. It was not how Meta Knight asked Lucina out on a date or even the way he handled the rejection. The swordswoman looked at her hands and thought of the touch between the Star Warrior and hers. Something felt odd. Did she feel something between her and Meta Knight? Was there the spark that glowed Lucina’s dark cave?

“I didn’t feel anything,” Lucina softly said as she closed her eyes while covering her hands over the other and placing them on her chest. “Although I like him a lot, why didn’t I feel anything?”

At the white room, a bounty hunter was all warmed up for her final trial. Samus was not particularly nervous about being eliminated in the tournament. It would be a disappointment to her if her performances did not live up to her expectations because of all the hard work and training she put into bringing success upon herself. However, there was one thing she was tenser than the tournament, Zelda. The bounty hunter would not risk seeing her princess be dissatisfied with her performance and be in a dramatic state. All that was at stake was giving everything she had for someone whom she liked very dearly.

“Zelda,” she walked behind the Hylian who turned around to see her bounty hunter looking determined yet afraid. “I will not let you down.”

“Samus,” the brunette stared into the blue-eyed woman with a genuine smile on her face. “I don’t care if we make it out or not. What matters to me is we bring our best. Even if we don’t progress further, I can’t wait for our first date. They’re so many things I want to do together.”

“Save those ideas after we finish this,” Samus felt much better after listening to the soothing sounds of the Hylian princess speaking some sense to the bounty hunter. Both had entered the teleportation pods for their final attempt at completing the Classic Smash run.

Their results from the first three rounds were similar to previous attempts. They dominated against the four Smashers they fought in round one and the three different fighters in round two. The times recorded on them were very impressive because it appeared as if they did not break a single sweat from it. Against the Miis, it was the same as it was in the previous trials, absolute annihilation. They defeated the Miis in 17 seconds, which was the fastest time recorded so far in the second phase of the tournament. One reason why they managed to cruise through the first three rounds so easily was studying other teams and where the Miis respawn. The analysis and extensive training paid off for that. The real challenge was against Master Core since a good amount of competitors struggled to defeat Master Edges or Master Shadow.

On Final Destination, Master Hand and Crazy descended from the skies. Samus faced Crazy Hand while Zelda faced Master Hand. They signaled to each other who to target. Once the round began, both women ran towards their respective targets. The bounty hunter did a series of spinning hook kicks to the left hand while the Hylian extended her arm to emit a magical explosion coming from her index and middle finger before executing a flying kick that was filled with magic. The right hand hovered near Zelda, attempting to grab her. Unfortunately, she rolled forward at the exact moment when Master Hand went for a grab. She continued with her flying kicks for damage output. The left hand skittered across the stage like a spider walk. Samus evaded by jumping away from danger. She quickly faced her opponent as it was hovering towards her for a grab and fired a paralyzing energy from her paralyzer. Once Crazy Hand went for a grab, the bounty hunter flipped jumped around the left hand before delivering a powerful kick. Her attack and Zelda’s Din Fire triggered Master Hand and Crazy Hand to merge into Master Core.

“Geez,” Robin acted like she was complaining about how skilled of a fighter the tall blonde was. “Samus makes it look too easy.”

“It’s not surprising that she trains the hardest out of everyone and does well in tournaments,” the male Robin responded not knowing that his female counterpart was not being serious.

“I know but still,” she continued on but could not find the words to express them.

The Master Giant swung its arms horizontally at the medium between its head and the stage. Samus and Zelda kneeled to escape the attack. As the enemy was preparing for its next move, the Hylian spun around with her arms outstretched and infused with magic. She repeated it again to deal more damage. The bounty hunter had executed a hook kick followed up by a roundhouse kick before doing a bicycle kick to finish her combo. The Giant’s next attack was producing six electric orbs. Both women had to position themselves to avoid getting lifted towards those projectiles. As the Giant lifted the stage, Samus and Zelda air dodged the orbs before retaliating. The brunette stomped on the Giant’s head with her infused magic, which caused the enemy to lose a set of the black swarm. Meanwhile, the blonde spun around to swing a whip of plasma that was coming out from her paralyzer. As the orbs dissipated, both women performed their stronger attacks to deal more damage. Samus kicked with one Jet Boot on the side before spinning around to kick with the other boot at a much higher angle. Zelda’s attack was waving her arm in an overhead fanning motion fused with magic to deal more damage. It was enough to destroy another set of black particles of the Master Giant. Once the stage was back on its level, the Giant immediately created two additional arms where it would try to grab either woman. They evaded the grabs until the Giant returned its arms back. The Hylian could not deal any damage as she was focused on not getting grabbed. Samus, on the other hand, was able to dodge near its head and delivered two strong spinning hook kicks that destroyed the Master Giant.

The swarm then created the Master Beast. Its first move was jumping away from the stage before leaping back to bite Zelda. Unfortunately, she tripped and was dealt massive damage from its most powerful attack. Samus quickly ran to her side and acted like a guard.

“I’m fine, Samus,” the brunette said confidently, brushing off the attack as if it was nothing.

The blonde grinned and ran towards the Beast for a spinning plasma whip from her paralyzer. Once she landed, she delivered a side kick and spinning side kick after for more damage. Zelda had cast her Din’s Fire, which was enough to break apart one of the black swarms. The Beast hopped up very high and its shadow was on Samus. As it was falling at a great velocity, the bounty hunter managed to escape again with her flip kick and dealt more damage to the monster. Zelda immediately ran towards the Beast for a magical flying kick. After she landed, the Hylian had thrust her palm, emitting multiple bursts of magical energy that got rid of the second set of black particles. Master Beast spawned spikes on its back, which then a trail of shadows followed both women to where they stood. Zelda managed to roll away while Samus was not quick enough because she was focused on finishing off the Beast. Consequently, she was met with large amounts of damage from the Beast’s spikes. The brunette faced the Beast and used her own magic to deliver a fierce punch to the Beast’s face, which ended up killing it.

Master Edges was their next opponent. They had struggled against Edges previoiusly, but they were getting the hang of how it fought. It launched four small electric projectiles that were sent out and back towards Edges. Samus escaped with a flip kick to deal damage to Edges while Zelda ran towards the far right of the stage to reflect the projectiles with her Nayru’s Love. Although it was little damage, it was a smart move for the Hylian. Master Edges briefly hovered towards the brunette since she was cornered due to her own error. The blonde ran towards her woman and tried to grab her with her plasma whip. Even though it wrapped around the princess, Master Edges immediately unleashed a flurry of slashes, which cut the plasma from her Paralyzer. Samus quickly swung her plasma whip around her to deal damage before Edges delivered the final slash on Zelda. It was not enough to lose one life, but she was in danger for future dangerous attacks from Master Edges. The blonde was under the monster and twirled a whip of plasma overhead twice, which was enough damage to break a set of particles. The Edges faced Samus and emitted a flash of light, which she did not expect. As a result, she was dealt with a simultaneous slash from all five blades. She was now at risk of losing her first life. So was Zelda. They were not going to go down that easily.

Master Edges threw out more projectiles in which the bounty hunter dodged successfully. Zelda used her Nayru’s Love to reflect the projectiles back to Edges. The enemy then spaced its five blades across the stage. They knew what was going to happen. However, Samus tripped on herself and was caught in the deadly combo. The brunette was able to evade all attacks before the final strike although Zelda was caught right in the middle of the final slash, which killed both Samus and her. Both with one life remaining, they had to finish the Edges right now or risk of getting eliminated from the tournament potentially. Once they came back on the stage, they executed their back aerials several times that miraculously killed Master Edges. The final swarm was coming. The shadow should not faze them at all. It was only a program, so they should treat it carefully.

The Master Shadow turned out to be Samus. With one life remaining, they had to fight perfectly in order to complete the run. Samus was on the left side while Zelda was on the opposite side. Both of them ran to pressure Shadow Samus to react. Master Shadow roundhouse kicked the blonde. The brunette tried to grab her, but she was not fast enough to do so. The enemy used her dark plasma whip to grab her. Samus tried to propel a Jet Boost knee strike but was met with Zelda who colliding with her. Shadow Samus slowly walked towards them and pointed her Dark Paralyzer and shot them both to stun them. It then short-hopped and swung its plasma whip around in order to hit both women. Master Shadow was quick enough to follow up the attack by twirling its plasma whip while rotating in a circular motion. The knockback sent Samus and Zelda in different directions. Shadow Samus went after her lookalike. The blonde kicked back in a bicycle motion, barely doing any knockback. Shadow Samus went for another grab but the bounty hunter rolled away, engendering the enemy to miss. Zelda ran up and grab the opponent from behind to magically spin it overhead. Samus swiftly jumped towards the enemy to shoot a shot of energy from her Paralyzer. While it was in stun, Zelda and Samus traded a series of back aerials to deal plenty damage before Master Shadow was able to escape.

Shadow Samus double kicked the Hylian before ending her retaliation with a bicycle kick. As Zelda tried to aggressively attack back, she was met with a whip of plasma, stunning her body. The blonde ran towards her dark self to prevent Zelda from getting more hurt. However, Shadow Samus perfectly reacted to Samus’s grab and sidestepped away from it. The grab caught the brunette instead. The enemy caught Zelda’s arm and threw her towards Samus. Both fighters fell to the ground.

“We can’t win,” Zelda said, ready to give up hope of completing the trial.

“No,” Samus held her woman’s left hand firmly. “I’m not going to let you down.”

“What can we do?”

“We can’t be predictable. It probably knows our team setups,” her analysis from fighting gave her a good idea of what to do next. She turned to her princess. “We have to fight in a way which Master Shadow can’t read our options.”

“How can we do that?” Zelda thought the idea was ridiculous due to the fact the adaptation to unpredictable teamwork was unrealistic.

“Then do something you would never do,” Samus said before charging towards her opponent. She leaped back and whipped a line of plasma to zone her out. The next option the blonde did scare the brunette because Samus faced her Paralyzer on Zelda. The princess would normally roll away, but she rolled towards Shadow Samus and summoned Din’s Fire to stun it for a bit.

“I get it now,” Zelda grinned before lowly roundhouse kicking Master Shadow and forcing it to fall onto the ground.

“That’s my girl!” Samus flip kicked and looked like she was going to kick Master Shadow on the ground. However, that was not the case. She landed next to her opponent who then got up but was met with a leg sweep. Shadow Samus fell to the ground again. Zelda grabbed the enemy from behind and shoved it on the stage, underneath herself before blasting fiery magic. The knockback sent Shadow Samus behind, which the blonde did two rising bicycle kicks before ending the combo with a jet-propelled diagonal split-legged kick followed by a roundhouse kick. Zelda immediately followed her woman’s final combo-ender. Shadow Samus thought Zelda was going to try to meteor smash her, so it tried to lean towards the stage to hit a wall. However, the Hylian used Farore’s Wind and warped at exactly where Master Shadow was, sending it up the top of the stage where it did not come back.

The match was over. They completed their final trial with an impressive comeback. At the lounge, Robin and Dark Pit cheered after Samus and Zelda’s victory.

“I’ll admit,” the female tactician began after a little chuckle. “That was pretty awesome.”

“Indeed,” her male counterpart agreed. “They were doing things I did not expect them to do, and it paid off in the end.”

“I can’t wait to see how far they’ll go.”

“I bet you they’ll win it all,” Dark Pit claimed as he was confident that they will after showing off quite a performance in the Classic Smash mode.

“No,” Robin disagreed. “Lucina and Palutena are going to win it, Angel.”

“How could I forget them?” He played along. This was making the male Robin confused between how Dark Pit and Robin were acting unusual. “They have the ability to win, too.”

“Well, I’m going to the restroom, so you two can do whatever you’re doing right now,” Avatar said in a carefree tone.

“Hey, Robin,” the dark angel looked a little more serious than before. “Now that he’s gone for a moment, when do you want to go out?”

“Good question, Angel,” Robin pondered with her fingers touching her chin. After thinking for a bit, she had an answer. “Tonight?”

“I was hoping you say that,” he was relieved that she thought the same thing he did. “I was thinking we get dinner at this nice restaurant and go from there.”

“Hmm, dinner and do whatever we want without plans?” She asked rhetorically yet she liked his plan of a date. “Sounds good to me. I can’t wait.”

“I can’t wait either.”

The bounty hunter and the Hylian princess returned to the white room where they were met with congratulations by their competitors. They thanked them before they exited the white room and towards the living commons area where no one was occupying it. From there, Zelda had her hands around the blonde’s neck while Samus’s hands were on the brunette’s hips. They stared into each other’s eyes, blurring the visions of outside and only focusing towards each other.

“Zelda,” the blonde started talking after a moment of their gaze. “Where do you want to go on our first date?”

“Ooh, I don’t know,” the brunette blushed, unsure with a plan because she never really planned ahead due to the competition. “What do you suggest?”

“I don’t care what we do or where we go because I just want to be with you.”

Zelda blushed again by her sudden affection. “First, let me change my clothes. I don’t want to smell repulsive on our date.”

“A bit strange, but I’ll cooperate.”

“I’ll meet in your room.”

“I’ll be waiting, my dear.”


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

After a relaxing shower, Zelda was getting ready to go on her date with Samus. It felt relieving to rest for the tournament but only for a short amount of time. She was exuberant yet nervous at the same time. The Hylian did not want to disappoint her hunter on this date because she thought that their relationship would not work out if things went awkward. At the same time, they both wanted to date, which made her overthink things. Right now her current problem was picking the right outfit. Should she wear something sultry or eloquent to start their relationship? Rather than her royal outfit, she considered her various colored outfits that resembled her royal dress. Zelda wanted to ensure that she would give a good impression on Samus. Ultimately, she went with her red royal dress since it looked nicer. Once she wore the dress, she combed her brown hair perfectly straight without any issues. Afterward, the Hylian pierced her pointed elf-like ears with silver earrings while maintaining the same hairstyle she had always had: the ends of her long hair woven together while two wrapped hairs were on the front of her torso. She looked at herself one last time in front of her mirror and took a deep breath while closing her eyes as well.

“Just be me,” she told herself. Zelda made sure her attire was tidy and in shape.

Before leaving her room, the brunette double checked if she brought everything she needed, which were keys and money. After checking those off of her list, she was on her way to her date’s door.

Meanwhile, a female tactician looked at two robes that she laid on her bed. She pondered whether to wear a red or pink robe for her date tonight. It was quite difficult for her to decide. Robin was trying to figure out which outfit would be better to wear for their activities. It became to a point where she could not decide at all despite considering many factors for her date with Dark Pit. As time was ticking, it felt like hours have passed. The mage got impatient because it was not helping her at all.

“Fuck it,” Robin cursed as she picked up her red robe and walked towards her closet. “I’m going with pink!”

After she changed her robes, Robin checked her pockets and around her room to ensure that she brought her keys, money, and her phone. They were on the inside of her robe, so no one would pickpocket anything from her. She exited her room and walked downstairs to meet the dark angel in the lounge. The first thing she noticed was the white overalls the dark angel was wearing rather than his normal black clothes. Impressed by his style, Robin had to say something.

“Pit, nice hair, black suits you well,” her smirk said it all after Dark Pit turned back to see his lady.

“Very funny,” he sarcastically said while grinning before trying to poke fun at Robin. “Says the one who can’t decide what to wear for our date.”

“I may be picky when it comes to that,” she conceded. “I only want to have good impressions on you.”

“Well, you already have,” Robin could not help but smile at her dark angel. This was one of the fewest times where she felt truly happy during her time competing in Smash. She cherished the moment before looking at the clock. “We should get going. I want to spend so much time with you, Angel.”

“Gladly, my lady,” Dark Pit bend his elbow so that he was escorting Robin to a destination. She wrapped his arm with hers before exiting out the mansion and walking towards the city.

Upstairs on the mansion, Zelda was in front of Samus’s room. She had to collect herself before knocking on her door. Behind the door was a bounty hunter who wore dark navy jeans with a plain white shirt and a black leather jacket. It was not the fashion that someone would usually wear for a date. However, it was her comfortable outfit since she was not willing to wear a dress. Zelda did not care if her date’s outfit was casual or not.

“You look so tough,” the Hylian said before the blonde was caught blushing by the compliment.

“I’m sorry if what I am wearing isn’t an ideal suit for a date,” Samus felt a bit guilty since Zelda appeared more eloquent and beautiful than her own outfit. “I’m not the kind of person who would wear a dress.”

“I’m not that shallow to a point where I would judge you based on what you wear,” the brunette held both of the blonde’s hands with hers to prove her point. “Besides, I like your outfit anyways. It’s rare for you to wear something different.”

The bounty hunter simply cracked a smile at just how Zelda was not judgmental on her choice of clothing. It felt comfortable knowing that someone cared for her as a person of character rather than just appearance.

“What do you want to do?” Samus broke the silence.

“I wanted to do something that I wasn’t allowed to as a child,” the Hylian began her response, which sounding a bit sad due to the fact that her primary responsibility growing up was royalty instead of childhood. Samus felt sympathy for her lady because she had never experienced the fun times that children would experience as well. “So, I thought you and I could go to an amusement park just outside of the city.”

“It doesn’t matter what we do or where we go. All that matters is that I spend that time with you.”

“Mmm, stop it,” Zelda playfully tapped the blonde’s shoulders, feeling pink by another sweet moment between the two. “Let’s go!”

They were on their way to the amusement park just north of the city. Once they arrived, they paid less of the admission fee compared to citizens due to the fact that they were competitors of the tournament and deserved a day to themselves. Upon entering the park, there were many varieties of rides and games that Zelda and Samus could do. With the time they had, it was improbable for them to do everything at the park. They were going to make the best of it.

“There are so many activities that we can do. I don’t think we could do every single-“ Samus gazed at the attractions before realizing that Zelda was not next to her. She saw the Hylian excitedly walked her way towards a drop tower. The bounty hunter could not help but chuckle at her date’s childlike behavior. “She’s such a child sometimes.”

“It’s the drop tower, Samus,” the brunette pointed at the ride exuberantly. She continuously jumped up and down as she could not contain her excitement. “Let’s get on it! Let’s get on it!”

“You’re such a child,” the blonde teased yet a bit annoyed by her date’s unusual behavior. “If you want to go, then we’ll go.”

No words. Samus and Zelda stood in line, waiting for their chance to get on the drop tower. Once they were ready, both sat next to each other. After adjusting the seatbelt and safety measures, their seats were rising up, hundreds of feet above the ground. At the top, Samus and Zelda gazed at the perimeter of the fair. It was still during the day, but the sun was setting down soon. They were not sure when they will plummet to the ground. Eventually, without notice, they were sent down at an incredible velocity. Zelda was screaming with glee while Samus held her date’s hand as if she was trying to protect her from harm. Soon they slowly descended back to the ground and had to exit the ride.

“That was so much fun!” The Hylian rose her arms as high as she could, feeling the adrenaline rush of experiencing a fast ride. She spun around, letting everything loose and just living in the moment for a brief stint.

“I wasn’t expecting to drop down so quickly,” the bounty hunter had her hands on her woman’s shoulders so Zelda could calm down.

“Don’t tell me you were scared?” Zelda teased as she turned around to face her date and smirked.

“I wasn’t,” she defended herself. “I merely did not expect to drop down in the timeframe I predicted.

“That’s not fun!” The brunette pretended to whine before gazing at another ride. “I want to go on that one.”

Once Samus saw what ride Zelda wanted to get on, she realized that it was one of the bigger rides like a roller coaster. In fact, it was. Looking at how big, wide and fast it was going the bounty hunter raised concerns for her date. “It looks a bit dangerous for us.”

“Don’t act like my mother, Samus!” The blonde was a bit taken back that the Hylian compared her to her mother. After Zelda realized what she had said, she instantly felt remorse. She turned and embraced her date as a way to apologize for her comments. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I got so excited that I let my stupidity get me.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” the bounty hunter hugged back and combed her date’s hair. “I suppose that I get too protective of you.”

“It’s just that I never got to live my life as a child growing up,” Zelda explained her unusual behavior at the theme park. “I let loose when we arrived here. I’m acting like a child because I wanted to know what’s like to have fun without having to do responsibilities every day. For the first time in years, I felt like I was free. The feeling of being me is the best feeling I’ve had before coming here. It’s why I was acting strange to you because I want to express myself without being reprimanded for it.”

“If you had told me that beforehand, I wouldn’t have been as protective right now,” Samus then tried to lift the spirits of her lady by lifting her up as if she was a bride. Her smile signaled to the brunette that everything was okay. “Shall I escort you to your destination, my dear Zelda?”

“Gladly.”

Both women stood in line for some time as the line for the roller coaster was a tad long due to its popularity. As they waited, they decided to talk about personal things that had happened to them. At one point in the conversation, Samus brought up about Robin’s romantic interests, in which Zelda was also intrigued to talk about as well.

“Do you think that Robin and Falco are together?” Samus asked the Hylian since she would not divulge into someone else’s personal life.

“Doesn’t look like it at all, especially after that fight the other day,” they were there when Dark Pit and Falco had a little confrontation. “Come to think of it-”

“What is it?” The blonde instinctively asked.

“I remember when Robin said about how Dark Pit meant something to her,” Zelda eventually connected the dots and had an interesting conclusion. “Samus! I think… Robin and Dark Pit are dating.”

“Very unlikely,” she disagreed, having a hard time processing the fact that Robin and Dark Pit would date. “Their personalities just don’t match.”

“I don’t know,” Zelda did not agree but still was not sure if they were official or not. “If they are together, I hope they don’t become like what happened with Palutena and Lucina.”

“What do you mean?” The bounty hunter was a bit confused as she tilted her head.

“Oh, I forgot I never told you,” the brunette was a bit excited to tell her date about it since it was partially eating her up inside. “Palutena and Lucina used to date.”

“Really?” Samus was surprised to even hear the thought that a goddess would date a mortal. “I would never expect them to be together. What happened?”

“I’m not too sure,” the Hylian admitted. “I think it had to do with Pit since he was not happy about it.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“It really is. Robin was telling me how happy Lucina was when she was with Palutena. Now that Lucina is talking to Meta Knight more, she probably moved on.”

“I can’t imagine how Palutena must feel whenever she sees her ex-girlfriend with Meta Knight,” both women felt a bit bad that they were talking about Robin and Lucina. They felt that they should not continue talking about it anymore since it was a bit awkward to discuss it in a public setting. Eventually, they were ready to get on the roller coaster. “We’re up next, Zel.”

“I’m so excited!” The brunette also had to sink in the fact that Samus gave her a nickname. She tried to brush it off, but she could not stop thinking about how adorable it was.

As they got on the roller coaster, Samus had to be sure that Zelda’s seat was secured before she sat on hers. The Hylian had to reassure her date that nothing wrong was going to happen. The roller coaster started to run. As they were going up to its peak, Zelda did not resist the exuberance she contained inside herself and was ready to let go of her arms from the handles. The blonde, on the other hand, was hoping nothing would go wrong and tried to enjoy the ride as much as she could. After reaching its peak height, they experienced a rush of twists and turns of the roller coaster. Zelda was screaming with joy while Samus was merely amused. The bounty hunter was enjoying herself since she cracked a smile and screamed at certain points of the ride. Eventually, the fun came to an end. As they exited out through a gift store, the brunette happened to find a picture of them while they were on the roller coaster.

“See, Samus,” the Hylian pointed at their picture with Zelda expressing happiness while the blonde expressed contentment. “Nothing wrong happened.”

“I know but I still wanted to make sure you were in good conditions,” the bounty hunter defended herself, knowing that there may be a rare chance that something bad may happen to them. “Aside from that, I’ll do whatever you wanted to do.”

“There’s more,” Zelda grabbed Samus’s hand and ran off together to their next destination. “There are more rides that I want to go on.”

Meanwhile back in the city, Robin and Dark Pit found a relatively large restaurant that looked a bit fancy. The tactician assumed that it was a romantic dinner between them, but the dark angel had other ideas. Upon entering inside, the atmosphere was enormous. There was a bar on the left side of the venue while there were tables in the middle. They were spread out evenly so that everyone had space for themselves. However, on the right side, there were rooms that were not visible from the outside. Robin wondered what those rooms could possibly be. Luckily, Dark Pit had reserved a room for two before they were booked for the night. The waiter led them to one of the unknown rooms. Inside, the room was fairly large enough for a group of 5 or more to dine in. An interesting feature that surprised the mage was that there was a television displayed on the left wall with an unusual machine just under it. There were microphones connected to the contraption. Robin then connected the pieces together. The room the black angel reserved was not just a dining area but also a karaoke as well. The waiter handed them the menus and gave them a few minutes to figure out what they want before coming back.

“Angel,” the tactician could not believe how Dark Pit found an interesting place where she did expect a karaoke as an additional feature. “I knew we were getting dinner, but I did not expect a karaoke machine that came with it.”

“Well,” he had to explain without being sheepish about it. “I thought we could have a little fun. A simple dinner didn’t seem like something you would enjoy completely.”

“I’m not upset at all,” Robin was actually impressed that Dark Pit would do something out of the ordinary for his date. “I just think this would turn out either weird or extremely fun.”

“Well, let’s hope that it’s the latter.”

The waiter returned with his notepad in case Dark Pit and Robin were ready to order. “May I start with you two with something to drink?”

“Oh,” Robin scrolled through her menu to see if she liked anything to drink. Eventually, she saw something she liked. “I’ll take a mango smoothie with Boba please.”

“Excellent choice,” the writer wrote down her order. “Milk or without milk?”

“Milk would be great.”

“And for you sir?” The waiter finished writing the tactician’s order before turning to the dark angel.

“Chateau Romani for me,” Robin gave a suspicious look at her date unsure why he would order something like that.

“I need to see some ID for that,” Dark Pit gladly gave his identification to the waiter. After examining the card, it was valid. “Very well. Are you ready to order?”

“Angel, I’ve never been here before.”

“Don’t worry, Robin,” the dark angel knew how the restaurant operated. “We’ll select option B.”

“Absolutely,” the waiter wrote the order down. “What sort of meat would you like to start out with?”

“Beef brisket would be nice.”

“Alrighty, everything will be delivered when it’s ready.”

“Thanks.”

After the waiter left, both had sat down next to each other in the semi-round table.

“Have you been here before, Angel?” Robin had to make sure her date knew what he was doing.

“I have,” he admitted, which relieved her quite much. “I went with Pit and Palutena since my opposite wanted to come here. We didn’t go in here specifically, but I was glad because I got to be here with you instead.”

“You’re smooth. That’s so funny,” she giggled because of the thought that Dark Pit wanted to save this room for her. Dark Pit laughed with her since there was no harm in her response. “Although, I can’t wait to see you sing.”

“Soon enough,” he was not ashamed to sing since he was with the woman he loved. “I want to see how you sing.”

“Oh, I’m a terrible singer. I don’t even know how to sing,” the tactician tried to make an excuse so she would not sing.

“No one is going to neither see nor hear us. It’s going to be alright,” he reassured so his date could be comfortable to sing.

“If you say so, then I’ll do it,” Dark Pit had a sigh of relief that his woman was willing to join him to sing songs for their date.

Eventually, their food and drink all came in one round. Dark Pit and Robin were also given rice, lettuce, vegetables, and various sauces along with their brisket. The black angel told their waiter to get pork belly for their second round. He acknowledged and went to get a set of pork for them soon. Dark Pit cooked the brisket for several minutes before it was ready to serve. He let Robin get the first bite since he wanted to see her reaction to eating at a restaurant like this. After eating the brisket with the rice, lettuce and one of the sauces, she felt like everything stopped for a moment. She had to savor the glorious taste of exquisite delicacy. Robin wanted to eat more until she could not. After sipping on their drinks, Robin and Dark Pit easily finished their first round before cooking the pork. Once it was ready to eat, they ate as much as they could, which they managed to finish, feeling a bit stuffed. Dark Pit told the waiter that they wanted spicy chicken and brisket again. After the fourth round, they were going to stop eating since it was too much for them to eat. It was indicated that they were ravenous since they have not eaten for a long time. Dark Pit nearly finished his Chateau Romani, but he felt the need to sing due to how good he was feeling.

“Robin, I’m going to sing a song to you,” she chuckled by his bold expression. “I’m being serious.”

“I know,” she was still amused by her date’s urge to sing. “Come on, serenade me with your angelic voice. It doesn’t have to be a love song. I just want you to sing.”

Dark Pit looked at the song list and had trouble picking a song. Because the songs were from each Smasher’s world, there were not those many with lyrics. Many though came from Sonic’s world. He tried looking at songs, not from any Smash universe. He did manage to find one song that looked enjoyable to sing. The dark angel inputted the four-digit code in which the song title was displayed. Robin nearly spat out her drink from his song of choice.

“Jump up, Super Star?” She asked, thinking it was like a joke.

“Yep,” he proudly stated. “You’re going to enjoy this.”

“Oh, Naga, I will,” Robin instantly became focused on watching her date entertain her. She placed her elbows on the table while planting her palms on the side of her face, looking star-struck by her angel.

The upbeat music began playing with Dark Pit dancing to the rhythm of the song, eliciting a giggle from the tactician. “Here we go, off the rails; don’t you know it’s time to raise our sails; it’s freedom like you never knew; don’t need bags or a pass; say the word I’ll be there in a flash; you could say hat is off to you; oh we can zoom; all the way to the moon; from this great wide wacky world; jump with me, grab coins with me; oh yeah!; it’s time to jump up in the air; jump up, don’t be scared; jump up and your cares will soar away; and if the dark clouds start to swirl; don’t fear, don’t shed a tear, cause I’ll be your 1up girl; so let’s all jump up super high; high up in the sky; there’s no power-up like dancing; you know that you’re my superstar; no one else can take me this far; I’m flipping the switch; get ready for this; oh, let’s do the Odyssey,”

Robin was laughing and crying at the same time not because Dark Pit looked funny, but she was enjoying every single moment of Dark Pit’s performance. After he finished singing, the tactician cheered so joyfully that she acted like she wanted an encore. Dark Pit had to take a breather since he had to sing the entire song. He drank the last bit of his Chateau Romani and sat next to his date.

“You were amazing, Angel,” she lightly punched the black angel on his right shoulder before she hugged him from the side. “I didn’t know you had such talent in singing and dancing.”

“I don’t,” he held his hands over Robin’s hands that were on his chest. “I just felt good at the moment.”

“Well, you still got some juice inside you,” the mage got up and walked up to the karaoke machine to pick up the second microphone. “I want to sing with you.”

“Well, what do you suggest?”

“Something energetic.”

Robin eventually inputted her song choice, which Dark Pit chuckled because she chose a song from a blue hedgehog’s world.

While Robin and Dark Pit were having fun singing songs, Zelda and Samus spent their night at the carnival until it was scheduled to close at midnight. They rode many mini-rides and roller coasters. Even that many could not unrest the Hylian since she was filled with a never-ending energy she apparently had. Samus was also the same since she got to date the woman she had feelings after concealing it for some time. They had some time to kill before it was time to head out. Although they had not eaten ever since they arrived at the park.

“Zelda, you need to eat,” the bounty hunter stopped her date from escaping from her clutches.

“But I want to play some games before we go,” the brunette gave her woman the sad eyes.

“Your eyes won’t convince me,” the blonde walked towards one of the food courts with the princess trying to resist. “We’ll eat and then we can do whatever.”

“I understand.”

Although both had eaten before showing up to the theme park, getting something light to eat would not hurt since it was a good break from riding so many rides. Samus ordered a regular pretzel with nachos while Zelda ordered a salad.  Both ended up sharing a large fountain drink. Once they got their food, they went to a table to finally relax for a bit.

“You really had a fun time, Zel,” she called the Hylian that same nickname again. The brunette could not hide her pink cheeks because of that. “Did I embarrass you?”

“Oh, no,” she hoped she did not make her date feel bad about herself. Zelda held both of Samus’s hands as a means of saying it was not what she was thinking. “I just like that you called me Zel, Sammy.”

Now the blonde’s cheeks began to redden since she now knew what it was like to have a nickname called by your woman. “Is your way of getting me back?”

“No, I want a nickname to give you since you gave me mine.”

“You’re lucky that I like you; otherwise I would have acted a bit more daunting.”

“You know, this has been one of the best days I’ve had,” Zelda shifted the topic to a more serious yet heartwarming vibe. “Especially with you.”

“I feel the same,” Samus took a bite of her chip before picking up another one. However, she was not planning to eat that one. The blonde moved her hand closer to the brunette’s mouth.

“Is that for me?”

“Why else would I put a chip to your mouth? Of course, I’m giving you the chip. Open up,” the Hylian opened her mouth to eat the chip the bounty hunter put in. “Want another one?”

“Um, sure. I feel bad because I’m not giving sharing my food with you,” she said after swallowing.

“Don’t worry about that. Open up,” Zelda felt a bit weird that Samus acted so similar to her mother every time she said ‘open up. However, the brunette did not feel a chip inside her mouth. Instead, the blonde put the chip back, placed the tips of her fingers on the brunette’s chin, and stole a kiss from her. The Hylian felt a sparkle inside her since she did not expect a kiss from Samus of all people. As a result, she kissed back as she placed her left hand on the blonde’s right cheek.

“Wow,” was all Zelda said after Samus just kissed her like that. “I didn’t expect our first kiss to be on the first date.”

“Why should a certain number of dates determine when it’s appropriate to kiss the woman I like?” Samus provided an interesting point that Zelda had not considered. The Hylian realized that the kiss already happened, and it felt magical. “I’m glad I did it because I can finally express how I feel to you.”

“You’re wonderful, Samus,” they gazed at each other for a moment and grinned at their beauty. “We should finish our food before it gets cold.”

“As you wish, Zel.”

After a night of delicious cuisine and karaoke, Dark Pit and Robin spent the rest of their night on a hill, overlooking the bright lights of the city. A time of exciting activity deserved a time of relaxation. Robin had never felt so alive during the time she was here in the Smash competition. It was a night where she rarely ever went out, and it ended up one of the best nights she experienced. Their time on the hill was a quiet and intimate time between the two. It was not long before Robin wanted to say something.

“Angel, sometimes, I wish love was something easy to get,” Dark Pit knew where the conversation was going, knowing her very well.

“I know this isn’t about us,” he was indeed right as he felt the vibe from his tactician.

“I really wished Lucy never broke up with Palutena in the first place,” Robin always thought about Lucina and the future of her relationship between the goddess and the Star Warrior. “She’s now lost on where she is. Why does love have to work like that?”

“It’s complicated, but there will be times where it has to be that way if Lucina truly found someone she loves,” the black angel tried his best to explain why things were the way they were.

“What if she never finds the light? What if Lucy and Palutena were never meant to be together? What if they can’t find anyone else? I can’t let my best friend be in that state of mind,” at that point Robin was overthinking her situation and was looking at the worst outcome.

“That’ll never happen,” the dark angel moved his lady’s face towards his face. “Everything happens for a reason. Questions will always be answered. Some may take longer than others. Regardless, it will come in due time. It’s best to let it happen in front of us. Like us, it took one bird to get us to admit our love for each other. Palutena and Lucina will find their answer soon enough.”

Robin planted her lips onto Dark Pit’s lips for the second time but was only for a quick moment. “There are a lot of things I like about you if you didn’t know that already.”

“Hmm, tell me about them,” he pretended to act like he was interested in hearing the mage’s list.

They spent more time together at the hill before returning to the mansion to end their first date. However, at Robin’s door, Dark Pit had a thought in his mind. He needed to know from his lady if it was true or not.

“Robin,” she turned to her dark angel and wondered what was on his mind. “There’s something I need to know. Are we officially a couple now that our first date is done?”

It seemed like an obvious answer, but the tactician remembered saying that they will become a couple after several dates. She knew from her own statement that her and Dark Pit’s relationship was not going to be like that.

“Well, let’s see,” she began, preparing to list off indicators if they were a couple or not. “We confessed our love for each other, we wanted to date more than once, and our first date was amazing. Listing those three things, we are clearly a couple, Angel. So yes, we’re officially a couple now.”

“Oh, uh, cool,” he tried to shrugged it off like it was nothing when deep inside he was so happy to hear that Robin saying they are now a couple. “It’s great and all-“

“Night, Angel,” she punched his right shoulder as she opened her room. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait, when are we going to go out again?” Dark Pit needed to know before he could sleep without worrying about it.

“After the All-Star phase or during it,” she closed her door and it became silent. Dark Pit was by himself now and chuckled on how the last minutes of their ended interestingly funny.

“You’ve outdone yourself,” he talked to himself as he headed towards his room. “I got to know her and developed a close relationship with her. Now we’re boyfriend and girlfriend.  This feels surreal. Robin, I’m glad I’ve met you.”


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The Classic Smash round had come to an end. Sixteen teams came into the competition but only eight remained. Palutena and Lucina were one of the teams that progressed to the third round of the tournament along with the team of Samus and Zelda and Fox and Falco. The other five teams that qualified were Mario and Luigi, Link and Meta Knight, Marth and Roy, Sonic and Pac-Man, and Mega Man and Ryu. The competition was getting tougher. Just several days after the Classic Smash run, the eight competitors had three days to prepare for their All-Star round. In this particular round, the time slots remain the same as the previous round. Each team will get a certain amount of time to complete a run without losing all their lives. The four teams with the better results will proceed to the finals. As the media was hyping up the competition, many ponder who will lift the title. The teams likely to win were Samus and Zelda or Link and Meta Knight. They were the favorites to win it all. Although many overlooked Palutena and Lucina as contenders, they had impressed the spectators due to achieving crucial moments when needed. Some consider them the underdogs of the tournament.

It had been two days since Robin and Dark Pit’s first date together along with Samus and Zelda. The Hylian was still recovering from the ecstasy she had felt when she and the bounty hunter went to a theme park. She still could not forget that day because it was one of the best days she had lived in her life. Now that she and Samus went back into the training grind, things have been getting better. During their practice sessions with the All-Star mode, most of their runs resulted in defeating nearly the entire cast without many issues. Although the difficulty setting was at normal, they shifted to a more difficult setting. For those runs, they managed to be consistent although it was just harder to finish off some fighters.

Meanwhile, Robin and Dark Pit did not have to worry about the tournament anymore since they could not progress through the third phase. It was not a big deal to them since they were officially a couple now. They had met again the day after their date. On that day, they saw each other in the lounge. For that time, the couple watched television that broadcasted the tournament and its competitors. The tactician was not particularly pleased when the commentators or the ‘analysts’ they were called say how Palutena and Lucina were not the favorites to win and how they managed to get lucky throughout the tournament. It rubbed her the wrong way because the media was portraying her friend in a negative way. She knew that Lucina never relied on chance to get where she was now; the bluenette was hard-working and would always do her best at any cost. After watching some television, Dark Pit and Robin went to the city to get some lunch and walked around the just to talk. It was a way to pass time. After several hours of spending time in the city, they returned to the mansion. From there, the mage will never forget what transpired then.

_“Robin, there you are,” a bird saw and walked up to the couple, waiting for their arrival. “I was looking for you.”_

_Something felt different about him. Falco appeared to be a new person after the confrontation between him, Robin, and Dark Pit. He sounded sincere and kind to the tactician and the dark angel. Robin had to take in that particular detail because she never expected the ace pilot to drastically change his behavior just like that._

_“Um, what do you want from me?” She asked, a bit curious to know what was on the blue bird’s mind._

_“I never truly apologized to you after that incident several days ago,” he began as he bowed his head, feeling ashamed to even lock eyes to the people he wronged. “In fact, it goes beyond that. From the beginning of the singles tournament to now, I, without a doubt, acted like a complete ass-“_

_“No kidding, you never treated her nicely,” Dark Pit preemptively admonished him, letting his anger get the best of him._

_“Angel,” the tactician softly yet firmly placed her hand on his right shoulder. “Don’t make it worse, please.”_

_“Sorry, I got worked up there.”_

_“You have every right to be infuriated at me,” Falco knew what the back angel was feeling since he was also involved as well. “I’m a hothead who thinks that being this tough, macho jerk was so cool that I thought people would like that. However, I was clearly wrong. I tried to get with you, Robin. Even though you didn’t want to, I kept persisting, which made you uncomfortable. I was not just inconsiderate but completely crossed your boundaries. And to you, Dark Pit, I regarded you as a clone, something that made you look like you were nothing. I know you don’t like hearing that word because I used to deal with that but never to the extent that you had to suffer.”_

_“I appreciate your apology if that’s what you’re trying to say,” Dark Pit did feel good that Falco apologized to him for his behavior._

_“Thank you. I’m not finished with what I have to say. Robin, not only was I being uncomfortable to you, but I went to insult your friend, Lucina by calling her a clone as well.”_

_Hearing that word made Robin twitch especially if it was towards Lucina because that word just infuriated her if anyone dared to use that towards the bluenette. She took a deep breath before proceeding to listen more of Falco’s apology._

_“Words will never be enough to make amends with you two. This will not be enough to compromise our relationship. If you guys end up not wanting to talk to me, then that is okay. I will gladly not talk to you two.”_

_“Falco,” Robin said with a hint of sympathy. “You really have changed for the better. You looked at yourself and made a significant change. That I will accept. You were right about one thing. Words alone will not make everything better. I still glad you apologized, but it takes more than words to make amends. You have to earn our trust that you’ll never revert to being a douche. I don’t know if that’ll happen, but if it does, then we can be friends.”_

_“Thank you for your words,” he embraced her response and had his head held high with pride. “I wish the best for you two.”_

_“Do you know?” Dark Pit asked if Falco knew that he and Robin were dating._

_“I am assuming so,” Falco replied before seeing the black angel nod his head to confirm that the two were dating. The bird had a little smile on his beak. “I’m happy for you two. I must leave now. Carry on. Thank you for forgiving my words of apology.”_

_All three waved a goodbye. As Falco went up the stairs, Robin chuckled with joy. She could not believe what she had witnessed._

_“Did that really just happen?” Robin felt like it was a dream. It did not seem real to her because she never thought the day where Falco became a changed bird._

_“It did,” the black angel held his girlfriend’s left hand and gripped it tightly. “Looks like people can change.”_

_“It looks like it,” she giggled before placing her head on Dark Pit’s right shoulder. “I’m in the mood to play Mario Kart.”_

_“Oh, you’re going to get beaten by me,” he boasted before Robin had something to say._

_“Want to bet on it?”_

_“Bring it.”_

At the training facility, Palutena and Lucina were spending their time getting used to the long, strenuous session of fighting all the Smashers in a single run. Even though there were breaks to replenish their energies for the actual tournament, the swordswoman suggested pushing further to gain endurance. The goddess was in no way objecting to her partner’s tactic. In the beginning, the trials started off shaky, however, as they practiced more they managed to improve each trial.

There were seven levels of the All-Star phase. Each one consisted of fighters in a certain timeline of their franchises. Rather than going in chronological order, it was in reverse fashion, meaning that competitors will face a group of Smashers from the present to the past. The first five levels, Palutena and Lucina managed to cruise through without relying on replenishing items or losing a single life. It looked like Lucina’s training method was paying off well. The greenette was impressed on the bluenette’s idea. To her, Palutena felt a sudden improvement and adaptation with her fighting depending on the stage and situation.

The sixth level took place in the Duck Hunt stage. The stage selection in the tournament was random just like the training simulation. The first four fighters that appeared were Duck Hunt, Peach, Bowser, and Samus. Palutena took care of Duck Hunt and Peach while Lucina fought against Bowser and Samus. Their strategy was to separate the fighters and spar them in a 2v1 format. The pink princess floated to strike the goddess with her crown at a vertical arc. Palutena leaped towards her but not too close before slamming her blue shield, which she won the clash. Dunk Hunt sent out a can and it was being flicked towards her. The greenette emitted a rectangular barrier to reflect the projectile back to the dog but the can exploded nowhere near it. Duck Hunt quickly sent out one of the gunmen to fire at Palutena. She evaded the attack which hit Peach instead. The goddess then rammed her with her shield, sending her back quite far. The dog threw a clay pigeon at a fast, straight angle. She reflected it again before grabbing the dog to telekinetically throw the pup down. Palutena then twirled around while emitting her halo, which ended up defeating Duck Hunt. However, it left her vulnerable for a moment which Peach struck her with her crown. While trying to fight back, Bowser came up to swing his head in a semicircle motion, which sent her up upwards, nearly taking her first life. Lucina came up to slash the Koopa King away from the greenette.

Samus grabbed the bluenette and slammed her to the ground before firing five fiery blasts in a downward arc motion. Palutena tried to roundhouse kick the bounty hunter but Bowser came down at an incredible velocity with his ground pound. It was strong enough to take the goddess’s first life. The next fighter was R.O.B. It grabbed Lucina and drilled her to the ground headfirst. It then followed up with a series of rapid rotation of its arms, sending her up away before Bowser swung in an upward head-butt. As a result, Lucina lost her first life.

“Lucina, got any ideas?” The greenette said as she fought against Samus.

“I’m not sure,” the bluenette evaded every grab that Bowser had while R.O.B was firing its lasers. “Our initial idea isn’t working. Focus on one opponent.”

“I hope that works,” Palutena had enough damage put on Samus before she was ready to finish her off with her kill set up. Fortunately, it worked at the price of getting hit by Peach’s crown again. “Alright, Peach, you’re making me mad.”

_“She’s cute when she gets mad at something like that,”_ Lucina lost focus before nearly getting grabbed by the Koopa King _. “Why did I just think that? Never mind that. I need to focus.”_

The Ylissean walled out Bowser with her aerial sword strikes. Once she conditioned him to try to challenge her in the air, Lucina charged up her powerful grounded lunging downward slash. That attack defeated Bowser. Then Zelda appeared. Suddenly, Link appeared behind Lucina and grabbed her with his hook shot. It looked like Palutena took care of Peach after managing to meteor smash her offstage. The greenette rushed to ram Link with her shield. However, she was met with a downward swing by Samus’s Arm Cannon. Afterward, Zelda kicked the goddess with her magic infused kick, sending her off the stage. Lucina was dealt with heavy damage from all four opponents. Palutena then used her custom move that barely any competitor would use. Although it was not against tournament rules, all Smashers were never fond of the custom moves, so it was rarely used by anyone. She became light and was agiler than before. Swiftly, she struck all four fighters, freeing Lucina. With little time left, Palutena managed to keep all the fighters in the air, prompting the Ylissean to strike back. She jumped onto the tree and saw Samus and R.O.B being knocked back to her. Thus, Lucina struck her Falchion overhead, killing both fighters. Palutena’s lightweight was coming to an end, but she managed to deal enough damage to Link and Zelda for an easy kill. Lucina simply ran up to Link before he reached for his hook shot and threw up upwards to finish him off. Palutena grabbed the Hylian princess and the bluenette delivered a powerful downward arc slash, completing the sixth level.

Although they fought in the last level ahead, they could not finish the job. Afterward, both women returned to the facility.

“Well, that was a close one,” the greenette said calmly as she was getting her bottle to hydrate herself.

“It was,” Lucina agreed but was not feeling disappointed at their performance at all. “It’s only the sixth and seventh phase that we need to practice more on. We were overwhelmed by their attacks and we almost lost because of it.”

“Don’t feel too bad about it,” the goddess walked up to swordswoman. “Besides, we can always review and see what we can do to improve our tactic.”

“Can we check that now? I think we’ve practiced enough for today. We can wrap it up tomorrow.”

“Anything for you, Lucina.”

As Palutena was bringing up the part of the video where they were at the sixth level, the bluenette heard a ringing tone coming from her phone. She picked up next to her belongings and saw it was from Meta Knight.

“Sir Meta Knight, hello,” hearing that name engendered Palutena’s mood to become crestfallen. She continued to clip the beginning of the sixth level up to where they won.

“Lady Lucina, it’s good to hear you again,” Lucina giggled at the sound of his greeting. “I am calling to see if you were available right now.”

“I’m in the middle of my training with Lady Palutena. Although afterward, I have to clean up and cook a meal. I can meet up afterward.”

“Fantastic. Let me know when you are available. I’ll be waiting by the garden for your arrival,” he hung up. Lucina was worried that the goddess would feel displeased by a sudden call from the Star Warrior.

“Lady Palutena,” she tried to explain that it was not what she was thinking.

“Don’t worry about it, Lucina,” she kept a smile to hide from the fact that she and the bluenette may not get back together. “I won’t control you on who you decide. I know you and Meta Knight have a good chemistry, so I only want you to be happy.”

“Thank you,” Lucina tried not to make things worse so saying thanks was enough. “Shall we analyze our work?”

“Absolutely.”

After assessing their own fighting for an hour, they found several major flaws on how they handled the fighters on the sixth level. The 2v1 strategy was not an effective method because it left them many vulnerable spots for attack. Secondly, Palutena and Lucina were not utilizing their team combos effectively since there were more fighters than usual. Third, neither tried to help each other out when either was in disadvantage state. As a result, they lost their first life or took heavy damage. They tried to figure out solutions to their issues so they can implement that for tomorrow’s practice before the tournament resumed. They concluded that they should keep a short distance from each other to assist whenever one was in disadvantage. Another solution was to separate from that distance only if the situation was in their favor. Once they noted that in their analysis, their training was done for today.

“See… you tomorrow,” Palutena said to Lucina before walking away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” the Ylissean knew this had to end as soon as she can. She can feel it coming to an end. However, something still looked foggy. Lucina had not made a decision to end her complicated situation.

Lucina took her time to shower before heading to the kitchen to make a simple sandwich. She walked to the lounge and sat on one of the comfortable couches while watching the television in relation to the tournament. As she watched while eating her sandwich and drinking her water, the bluenette took notice that she and Palutena impressed some people on their performance. She grinned at the fact that she was getting recognition for her spectacular performance throughout this tournament despite personal conflicts that were happening along the way. Of course, Lucina wanted to win the tournament but if she had to choose who would win, it would be Marth and Roy since she idolized the Hero-King. Winning a major tournament would be a major feat for him and the swordswoman would have no complaints if that were to occur. After finishing her meal, she was met by her best friend who saw Lucina sitting by herself.

“Robin,” Lucina said before the tactician sat down next to her.

“Hey, Lucy,” she greeted happily as the swordswoman took notice with her beaming expression.

“You’re much happier than the last time I saw you,” it was not a bad thing, but it was something Lucina did not usually see.

“Things have happened in the last few days,” her smile was getting stronger and the bluenette could not decipher why.

“What happened?”

“First, Falco is a changed bird now.”

“I don’t believe you,” Lucina gave a disgusted look by the thought of the pilot.

“Believe me,” she expected her response to be like that. “After the fight between him and Dark Pit, he had to reflect himself and apologized to me, Angel, and you for being an asshole.”

“I still have to talk to him to believe it, but knowing you, I think that possibility seems much more probable.”

“I would never lie to you like that.”

“Anything else that happened?”

“Oh, I am officially Angel’s girlfriend,” Robin could not wait to see her friend’s reaction at the exciting news.

“Oh, my,” Lucina covered her mouth in disbelief yet happy to hear the news. “That’s so wonderful, Robin.”

“AH!” She screamed with glee, which startled the Ylissean princess a bit. “I know! It’s amazing!”

“Did you guys go out?” Lucina had to know if they did or not.

“Oh,” the tactician giddily was prepared to tell everything about her date with the black angel. Her body language was an indicator that they did go on a date. “I have so much to tell you, Lucy!”

“Please, I want to know.”

Robin told Lucina everything that happened on her date. She described the restaurant they went to where she ate delicious food. The one thing that confused yet was amusing to the swordswoman was that they both sang while consuming their meals. The mage had to explain that the rooms were an exclusive area for people who want to dine and sing. After their entertaining portion of the date, she told Lucina that they ended the night by sitting on a hill overlooking the striking lights of the city. It was a relaxing and calming environment where Robin and Dark Pit just enjoyed each other’s company without anyone else present within their vicinity. That was all the tactician had to say to Lucina about her date with the black angel.

“Wow,” was her first reaction after listening to the entire story of her friend’s first date. Lucina could not hold how thrilled she was to hear that Robin had found love. “Robin, I’m really happy that you and Dark Pit are finally together. I know he was your friend; I never realized that it became something more.”

“I finally understand how Avatar felt when you were with him,” she began, trying to hold back her tears of joy. “Holding to someone that you care and love so much that finally expressing that feeling and having that person feeling the same way is one of the rarest yet purest forms of love I’ve ever experienced. It was how he felt before you and he broke up. Now he and I finally came to good terms.”

“Everything is getting better for you,” Robin saw her friend’s blue eyes express conflicting emotions compared to her facial expression.

“Now I feel bad,” Lucina was a bit confused by the mage’s comment. “I’ve been talking about how I finally found love and you’re in a rough situation. I’ve been so inconsiderate that I think you’re not taking this well.”

“In a sense, you’re right,” the Ylissean princess admitted, trying to not to cover it up with a lie. “I’m still lost in finding my answer yet…”

“Yet what?”

“That answer is so close for me to grasp, but the more I reach out for it, the further it gets away from me. Just when I think I found the answer, the light tells me otherwise.”

“You don’t sound confident in your answer,” Robin said as a possible explanation.

“Is it?”

“By the way you’re saying about your answer, it doesn’t sound like you truly did found it. Although I think you _are_ close to finding it. However, you’re leaving so much doubt on yourself. You should know that you can’t make everyone happy. Someone will have to bear the sad news if you don’t choose that person. It comes down to who will make you happy forever.”

Lucina had thought about her best friend’s words, which helped her significantly. Before she was about to find her answer, the tactician had more to say.

“One more thing,” Robin placed her left hand on Lucina’s right shoulder. “If you truly like, love someone, the answer may just be in front of you all this time. I mean that that person was always there for you and also felt exactly same as you do. Answer yourself this: without thinking, who do you have actual feelings for? You don’t have to tell me. This should only be settled by you.”

The bluenette thought the question to herself and went with the answer that first came to her mind. That answer came within her mind and heart. Both sides choose the same answer, which finally allowed Lucina to capture the light she so longed to reach for. She stood up and was ready to face her fate.

“Robin,” she first embraced Robin so tightly because she helped her find the answer that was lurking in the dark. “Thank you so much for helping me in finding the answer. It really was there the entire time. It took some time but no more conflict. I know what I have to do.”

“Go, Lucy,” with that the Ylissean princess walked away and Robin had no sight of her. “I hope she picked her.”

Lucina knew her answer. It was in front of her eyes all this time, but she was no longer lost. The bluenette was ready to face everything that was going to happen. She stepped out and walked to the garden to meet with the Star Warrior. He was joyous that his lady showed up.

“Lady Lucina,” Meta Knight flew so his body was in front of her face. “After thinking the times we shared together, I really want to express to you how much I like you.”

“Sir Meta Knight,” she was halted by his right glove.

“My beloved lady,” he gave out his right hand so that his palm was visible. “Accept my hand as we become romantic partners. I express my feelings for you here.”

Lucina was trembling to a point where she became anxious because of how things may turn out. Her heart was racing and pounding on her chest as hard as it could be. Meta Knight was concerned if the swordswoman could not contain her excitement about committing to becoming a couple.

“Lady Lucina?”

Then, she could not hold it anymore. It was too much for her to hide.

“I can’t.”

She turned away and closed her eyes to alleviate her stresses for a moment. The Star Warrior looked like he was in denial. He thought it was a slip of her tongue and that the Ylissean did not mean it at all.

“Surely, you are exuberant about our commitment that you say unusual words, correct?”

“No,” Lucina conceded, facing him who was heartbroken by her rejection. “I just can’t.”

“Why not? Nothing wrong came across between us. We share many characteristics. We share our knowledge on swordplay. What is wrong?”

“I can’t because of… Palutena,” Meta Knight could not believe what he was hearing.

“She treated you horribly,” he attempted to reason her to hopefully change her mind. “She called you a clone, such a derogatory term for a so-called goddess to say. She tried to control you in your relationship as friends. That’s a horrendous reason to not accept me.”

“You know well that she had trouble with romantic partnerships with other gods and goddesses from her past,” she defended the greenette’s name. Her tone showed that she disliked anyone who talked to Palutena in a bad name. “She finally found me because I like her a lot. I’ll never forget the smiles and the sweet moments she would always give to me whenever we dated. No one could understand her except me. I saw the side that hardly anyone saw. I see the honest, sincere, and beautiful goddess who would do whatever it takes to protect the ones she cares for. That’s why I still… have those feelings for her.”

Meta Knight initially felt he wanted to pour out his tears. However, as Lucina continued on with her reasons, he became more disappointed at the bluenette for going back to someone whom he thought treated Lucina poorly. “Despite that, she still said and did horrible things to you. How can you not see that?”

“She went through a breakup that should’ve never had happened!” Lucina got so upset by the Star Warrior’s comment that she angrily responded something she thought was not true. “Lady Palutena was so distraught by another breakup that she resorted to drinking and felt lonely.”

“It explains her behavior but it does not justify it.”

“That may be so,” she admitted but was still persistent. “She still harbors the feelings that I feel for her. She’s genuinely regretting all that had happened, so why can’t I give her a second chance when I like her too?”

“You disappoint me, Lucina,” he closed his eyes and flew away from the Ylissean at a distance before stopping. “I really thought you were unique from the others. The fact that you cannot move on from a past relationship just bewilders me. I can’t see you as who you truly are.”

“What do you see me as of right now?” Lucina took one step closer to the Star Warrior with a irked expression.

“I won’t say as I still respect you,” he glided into the mansion. The final words Lucina heard were, “Goodbye, Lucina.”

There was a brief silence for Lucina as she stood in the breeze of the garden and the rustling sounds of the leaves. She looked down and said to herself, “If you really see me differently, did you ever liked me in the first place?”

Now that was out of the way, Lucina knew what she had to do next. She walked up the stairs that felt like an eternity since she was so eager to end her frustrating conflict. Eventually, she found the hallways she wanted to be on and walked towards a specific door. Lucina stood in front of the door, feeling a bit nervous to face what was going to happen. Her fist slowly approached the door just inches away from contacting it. The swordswoman took a deep breath before finally knocking on the door. She waited until she heard a voice.

“Who is it?” A voice called from the inside.

“It’s Lucina,” the Ylissean replied.

“Oh, I’ll be out in a second.” It was not literally a second, but it took a little longer than expected before the person came to the door.

The door opened. Lucina’s eyes were watering up as a green-haired goddess stood in front of her.  Palutena at first was concerned because the bluenette looked like she was going to cry out of sadness.

“Lucina,” the greenette worriedly spoke to the swordswoman. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to you?”

She said nothing, never planned on responding to her question. Lucina grabbed Palutena’s torso, pulled her, and planted her lips with the goddess’s lips. The world was silent as the outside noise became deaf to the greenette. Her eyes began to water up so much that it was running down her face. She wrapped her arms around the bluenette’s back and passionately kissed her back. Lucina had to be on her the tip of her shoes since the goddess was taller than she was.

_“Oh my, oh my,” Palutena frantically thought to herself. “Lucina’s kissing me. Kissing me!”_

They broke the kiss. They both laughed as they took in what had transpired. Palutena had no clue what to say because she was overjoyed that Lucina kissed her.

“We shouldn’t have broken up in the first place,” the Ylissean admitted to her.

“We really shouldn’t have,” the goddess agreed before combing her hair to see her eyes. “What does this mean?”

“Lady Palutena-“

“Call me Palutena,” she interrupted, which Lucina did not mind at all.

“Palutena, I want us to get back together.”

“Yes! That’s how I’ve felt ever since we broke up and you started talking to Meta Knight,” she wanted to cry because the woman she liked came back to her, thinking she was going away for someone else. “Lucina, I love you.”

“I love you, too Palutena.”

That was it. No more words. They embraced each other for the first time as a couple again. Lucina found her answer.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The time has come. The All-Star phase was about to commence. Eight teams in but only four will come out. Who has what it takes to reach to the finals? However, there was a slight change in relation to calculating scores. The top final scores will be calculated when every single team had completed their run in their respective time slot. So far seven teams had finished their All-Star run. All of those teams managed to successfully complete the entire thing. On the other hand, two teams dominated their runs, who were Samus and Zelda and Link and Meta Knight. It was very likely that they were going to progress to the finals. The only team left to finish the third phase of the tournament was Palutena and Lucina. After getting back together, their outlook appeared to be much brighter than it was before.

They had done several runs so far. They managed to succeed in completing all seven rounds once. The unsuccessful rounds were close. To help them with their last All-Star run, Lucina asked Robin if she was available for an analysis, hoping that some advice may give them an advantage. Other teams had assistance by other Smashers, which did help for them. It was not looked down upon that teams get assistance from others since it was a competition. As a result, they needed to use their resources at their disposal to achieve success.

After getting advice from Robin, Palutena and Lucina were making last-minute preparations before going for their final trial run. Although they were getting ready, a tactician wanted to know if the two were back together. She did not know as the bluenette never told her because Lucina wanted to keep it undisclosed.

“I’m nervous right now,” Robin calmed herself as she tidied up her friend’s battle attire. “Please don’t lose this.”

“It doesn’t matter whether we progress or not,” Lucina was not going to be upset if she and Palutena fail to advance to the finals. “I gave it my best, and that is all I can do.”

“Yeah, yeah” she agreed as if she heard this many times. “Anyways, you better kick some ass for me. I want to see you do well.”

“Thank you,” she smiled by the supporting words of her best friend. Looking at the time, it was time for them to go into the All-Star mode. “I have to go.”

“Best of luck!”

Robin walked out and went to the lounge. Before she actually sat with Dark Pit and the others, she furtively peeked as the goddess and her girlfriend was about to step onto the teleportation pods. She really needed to know if Lucina chose Palutena. Her curiosity took over her mind.

“Palutena,” the Ylissean called to her goddess who then looked at the bluenette. “I don’t want to fail.”

“We won’t,” Palutena softly spoke back. “Robin told us everything we need to know to bring our A-game.”

“I understand that,” she felt doubtful about her performance due to the fact that other teams had done well in completing the entire run. “Even if we complete it all, is it still enough for us to-“

The greenette held both of her hands onto Lucina’s hands. She was surprised by Palutena holding her hands all of a sudden.

“Lucina, do not doubt yourself,” her voice was firm yet soothing that it alleviated Lucina’s worries for a bit. Robin’s heart was racing just a bit faster, but it was not concrete evidence to her that they were back together. “So what if a few trials were not as good as the others? Take everything as a learning experience so we can make fewer mistakes. I believe in us. We will prove against the odds that we are a strong team. Can you promise me to not talk about how you’re not good enough? You _are_ far greater than you make it out to be. That’s something I always liked about you: showing that you’re better than what others think of you.”

The Ylissean’s cheeks were slightly pink by motivating words from her goddess. She tried to look away from her since the bluenette felt embarrassed to hear those words from her girlfriend. Ever since they got back together, anytime Palutena would say something that was either nice or dirty, Lucina would blush. It was like when they first started dating. In fact, their relationship was nearly exactly how it was before. They picked up where they left off.

“Hmm,” was the first thing she sheepishly said. “You’re really great with words.”

“We’ll give it our all,” Palutena said before giving Lucina a quick kiss. As soon as the kiss happened, Robin dropped her jaw in absolute shock. She had the urge to scream in happiness, but it was a bad time to do it now. The only thing was to hold it in until the third phase was over.

Just as Palutena thought she wanted a quick kiss, Lucina swiftly wrapped her arms around the goddess’s neck and continued to kiss her. Palutena was in no way trying to break the kiss off, so she placed her hands on the side of Lucina’s hips. Robin just walked away, feeling the greatest of happiness for her best friend. That was the final evidence she needed to confirm that Palutena was her answer. She really wanted to say it to someone, so there were a few people she knew who would be delighted to hear the news.

“Hmm, I like that you’re more assertive on the kissing,” the greenette teased the bluenette who then had her cheeks reddened more. Her blush made Palutena giggle.

“I’m really happy that we’re back together, so I just needed to express how much I missed you.”

“Aww,” now Palutena was blushing by her lover’s words. “I missed you, too.”

“I’m sorry for delaying, but we should probably get to the competition.”

“We shall.”

“Angel! Angel!” Robin ran to her boyfriend as she could not contain her exuberance over the fact that Lucina got back with Palutena. “I need to tell something so great!”

Robin was hanging out with Dark Pit, Pit, the male Robin, Samus, and Zelda who were all bewildered as to why the female tactician was acting so out of character. While they were hanging out, Samus and Zelda came out to the group that they were dating. Although Robin knew about it, the rest were genuinely surprised but happy that they were together.

“Well, tell me then,” he said impatiently but was also poking fun at the tactician.

“Hold on, I want to know, too!” His doppelganger also got excited to hear the news.

As a result, everyone else was curious as to what was on Robin’s mind. She took several deep breaths before saying what was on her mind.

“I saw… Lucina and Palutena kiss!” Robin felt a huge relief from holding that information. “They are back together again!”

The general reaction from everybody was joyous. Dark Pit was glad that Palutena was with Lucina once again. Deep inside, there was a part of him that wanted the goddess to be happy again. After witnessing her coping with the break up by drinking, he hoped that she would recover. Avatar was pleased and delighted that Lucina was able to clear her head and found love again. Samus and Zelda looked at each other after thinking about the fact there was a resonating feeling between the goddess and the swordswoman’s love and theirs.

“Lady Palutena is really with Lucina,” Pit said to himself, answering the question that they were now a couple again. His face beamed with joy that his goddess was better than she was when she and Lucina broke up. “I wish I could tell her right now.”

“You can do it after they finish their last trial,” the male tactician said as his expression was difficult to decipher as to how he felt about the news. To him, he moved on from his past. He could not be any happier that the bluenette found someone who made her feel special.

“Robin,” Zelda saw the female mage’s expression. She knew that Robin wanted to say more. “You’re probably the happiest between us.”

“Yes, I am!” She screamed elatedly after knowing about the kiss. Robin hopped for a bit before calming herself. “I’m just so freaking overjoyed that Lucy’s heart belongs to Palutena.”

“Ok, girl,” Dark Pit had his shoulders on Robin’s shoulders, so she could sit down and watch the match. “You can squeal about it with Lucina after this.”

“It better be finished quickly,” that was the last thing she said before everyone else saw Palutena and Lucina on the screen.

The first stage that both women arrived was Mario Galaxy, a planet of grass and trees while in deep space. A small house sat at the top of the planet unknown which it belonged to. On the left side stood Palutena and Lucina. In front of them, there were four fighters who appeared: Corrin, an alternate costume of Lucina, Robin, and Greninja. Time was counting down. Lucina turned back to her goddess and gave a warm smiling knowing that she was confident in how they will perform. Palutena also cracked a smile, getting a little confidence booster she needed to potentially progress to the finals.

The first level commenced. Robin and Greninja began charging their tome and water shuriken respectively. The bluenette ran up towards them to get a grab. However, Corrin leaped towards her to transform his arm into a spear and tried to strike Lucina in a diagonal position. However, Lucina quickly parried and swung outward, pushing back Corrin a good distance. The swordswoman reached out her left hand and grabbed Greninja. As she struck the frog with her knee, Palutena flew towards her girlfriend and faced the Pokémon from behind to unleash a blue beam up from the ground. Robin had cast his fire magic from his Arcfire tome. The projectile was flying diagonally from his head. Palutena created a reflective barrier to deflect the attack. Greninja gripped his water katana in a reverse position, full hopped, and slashed horizontally as he was descending to the ground. Lucina ran past her lover and shielded the attack to protect the greenette from getting hit. She then side-dodged the crouching Hapiko-style shin kick before executing a jumping upward slash known as the Dolphin Slash. The knockback was strong enough for Greninja to be eliminated. Meanwhile, Palutena telekinetically slammed Robin before jumping and emitting her halo for a confirmed kill. The goddess then faced Corrin while Lucina fought against herself in a black alternate outfit. Palutena illuminated her staff’s orb and emitted three reticles, which ended up hitting her. The goddess then hopped towards the dragon warrior for a flying kick. Her kick was successful when Corrin was on the ground. She quickly slammed her blue shield on him to send him even further. He reacted by slashing with his Omega Yato from above to behind him and using Dragon Fang to strike on the greenette with his transforming arm. Her next move to counter the attack was conjuring another cyan beam of light coming from the ground. The tip of the beam was strong enough to kill Corrin off the top of the stage. As she managed to defeat Corrin, Palutena witnessed her girlfriend execute the first hit of her dancing blade in the air and then an inward horizontal slash before landing. After she did, she delivered the final lunging downward slash. The power of her attack was strong enough to defeat the other Lucina.

“That was amazing, Lucy!” Palutena complimented her lover’s combination of attacks.

“Thanks,” the bluenette said grinning at her goddess.

The next fighters were Dark Pit, Shulk, Bayonetta, Wii Fit Trainor, and Rosalina. Palutena and Lucina took more damage against these fighters due to the fact that the Umbra Witch managed to successfully deal attacks with her witch twists and afterburner kicks. However, both women managed to counter with their own team attacks, which were a series of striking back and forth before delivering an all-powerful attack to seal the deal.

After completing the first round with ease, they were in a resting area where there were trophies of fighters defeated on the far right side. On the left side where they stood, there were holographs of the next upcoming fighters that Palutena and Lucina had to combat against. At the middle stage was a platform with a circular holographic light where they had to step on for their next battle. Additionally, there were heart containers, fairy bottles, and maxim tomatoes to replenish themselves if they were in any danger of failing to complete All-Star mode. The swordswoman did not want to use any healing items as the trial had only begun.

The next four levels they had fought through were not as difficult as they had originally thought. Their opponents took more damage but each level’s difficulty was getting harder. The goddess and the swordswoman were taking more damage when they were not careful with their attacks, especially after the fifth level. They had to deal with Mega Man who shot three bullets from his Mega Buster repeatedly to keep both women out of range. Ryu also was tough to face. He was able to convert his crouching, Hapkido-style shin kick before jumping to kick in a spinning crescent style known as his Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. He was able to do that to both women. Ryu nearly took a life from Lucina after using the same Hapiko-style shin kick before striking with a devastating Shoryuken. Fortunately, Palutena and Lucina dealt with him last, which as a result helped out great since it was a 2v1.

Before fighting the last two levels, which were extremely difficult to complete, the greenette and the bluenette took only a maxim tomato each just so when they fight the last level, they would be all healed up should they take more damage later on. They took a step into the portal and entered into the stage of Duck Hunt like from their training simulations.

The first four fighters they faced were Samus, Zelda, Link, and Bowser. This time, they were ready to not make the same mistakes they made from training. The match began with Samus charging her Arm Cannon. Link hopped to throw his Gale Boomerang at Palutena. Zelda had cast Din’s Fire towards Lucina. Bowser ran towards the goddess for a grab. The goddess tried to roll towards the Koopa to escape his plan but he had known she was going to do that and was grabbed from behind. He then threw her upwards before withdrawing inside his shell and spinning rapidly so she could be dealt with his shell spikes. However, he could not follow up because Lucina airdodged through Din’s Fire before swinging her Falchion in a downward motion. At the price of interrupting Bowser’s grab, the blonde swordsman leaped towards Lucina and swung his Master Sword in a vertical downward motion, pushing her back greatly. The Hylian princess followed up with a magical fire spell she conjured with her index and middle finger. Samus was going to shoot her Charge Shot at Lucina but Palutena emitted a rectangular barrier so that the hunter got hit instead. Samus was sent back far but was not defeated. The goddess then saw Lucina fighting against Link and Zelda; she knew her girlfriend was in trouble, so she had to help. As she tried to go to her, King Koopa swung his head in an upward motion.

“Where you going, lady?” Bowser mockingly said to the greenette.

Palutena managed to escape the headbutt before landing to grab Zelda from behind. The goddess curled herself slightly before telekinetically pushed the brunette forward. Lucina saw that Zelda was being thrown at her. Link short-hopped and swung his blade in two alternating, outward position. The timing was precise since Zelda was just behind the blonde, so she parried Link’s attack and counterattacked. Both Hylians were sent back to Palutena before her releasing her ethereal wings and swinging them at the two. The power was strong enough that they were slightly offstage. Lucina quickly ran to where Link and Zelda was, jumped over them, and slashed in a downward arcing motion that was positioned perfectly for a meteor smash. While the goddess was looking at the bluenette’s attack, Bowser snuck up and grabbed her from behind. He repeated the same throw from before and successfully followed up with his dropkick. Samus leaped from the ledge and tried to swing her Arm Cannon in a downward arc but Palutena landed on the stage.

“Palutena!” Lucina called out her woman in a concerned tone. “Are you okay?”

“Lucina,” she stood up acting as if nothing happened. Her smile showed that there was nothing to worry about. “Don’t worry about me. Keeping fighting on.”

The bluenette nodded and tried to grab Bowser as he was landing. However, Peach and R.O.B came down where she stood. The pink princess drifted slightly away from the Ylissean and struck her with her crown. Lucina was hit before getting grabbed by Bowser once he was on his feet. He did the same throw option, and the robot followed up with his rapid rotating arms in an upward motion. Palutena flew too late to rescue her swordswoman, so she was hit by Bowser’s upward headbutt before Samus’s high-speed, discharging energy somersault. Both combinations were enough to take the first lives for Palutena and Lucina. They were in danger of losing if they both lose another life again.

At the lounge, Robin was chewing on her hair, looking very nervous at what was happening. Pit covered his mouth with both of his hands while his eyes showed the fear that his goddess was going to lose. Zelda’s heart was racing because she wanted Palutena and Lucina to make to the finals. As a result, she placed her hands together and prayed that things go well for them. Samus had her left arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders and pulled her close to her chest, telling her that everything was going to be alright.

“What are we going to do?” Lucina said to her goddess in a doubtful and pessimistic tone, afraid of losing the tournament after all the work she was trying to prove.

“Don’t give up,” the greenette told her swordswoman in a serious tone. “Bowser and Samus have some strange synergy, so let’s disrupt that. Let me fight the big guy while you handle Samus.”

“Understood.”

Palutena flew towards Bowser while Lucina drifted towards the bounty hunter. The Ylissean was careful to not get too close for a grab, so she kept her distance. Samus charged at her with a shoulder tackle but Lucina shielded the attack perfectly before grabbing her with her left hand. She then spun and flung the hunter forward so she was offstage. Before she tried to keep her off the ledge R.O.B quickly charged a spinning top on his base and then threw at the bluenette so she offstage with Samus as well. The hunter hopped over her and tried to swing her Arm Cannon under her for a quick kill. However, Lucina quickly swung her Falchion in an upward motion behind her, having enough power to defeat Samus for overextending.

After defeating the bounty hunter, Duck Hunt appeared. The dog kicked a can as it landed and it flicked towards the swordswoman. Meanwhile, Palutena could not help out her woman because Bowser was standing in her way. She had no way of getting out unless she defeated the Koopa King. Palutena took a step forward with her right leg. Although trying to react for a grab, he gazed at the goddess’s legs as there was one eloquent sock on the left leg while the right was pure divine skin. As he was mesmerized, the greenette conjured a cyan beam strong enough to kill Bowser. Even though the tactic looked dirty, she did it so she can help Lucina. The swordswoman was stuck on the ledge since the robot placed the gyro right on the end of the stage. Peach floated above the edge to catch her jump. Duck Hunt had its exploding can behind the gyro at a reasonable distance. It was an oppressing setup in which the Ylissean could not get back on the stage whatsoever. As Lucina tried to figure out a plan, she heard her goddess telekinetically spin her staff around the three opponents, interrupting their ledge trap setup. Palutena even took the hit of the gyro, so that Lucina could get back on the stage. As the bluenette was behind her, the goddess made sure that nothing would hurt her swordswoman.

Palutena had thrust her staff forward to release a burst of light as she walked slowly towards her opponents. Duck Hunt threw a clay pigeon at a higher but slower arc while R.O.B was charging its spinning top. Peach floated towards the goddess and spun around with her arms extended. Although the princess thought she could get a grab, Palutena continued to use her staff before telekinetically clinching on to the blonde. She then performed an inverted Arabesque to send her to where Lucina stood. The Ylissean walked a few steps forward. Once Peach was behind her, Lucina rotated her body to execute a lunging downward strike, sending the princess far into the ends of the blast zone. Two more remaining. The robot jumped to activate its thrusters for a fiery somersault. Before it initiated the attack, Lucina leaped over Palutena to bait R.O.B into attacking. The goddess then conjured up a cyan beam from the ground but was hit by one of Duck Hunt’s gunmen. The bluenette immediately escaped R.O.B’s somersault before back-flipping and swinging her Falchion in an upward arcing way. Once she landed, Lucina switched her target to Duck Hunt while Palutena went against R.O.B.

Duck Hunt tried to summon another gunman but the Ylissean performed her sword dance ending it with a downward slash. It was not enough to defeat the dog but Lucina had an advantage. The dog tried to land with his aerial cartwheel but the swordswoman kept him in the air with her overhead arcing slashes. Eventually, Lucina intentionally let the dog landed with the same move before grabbing him with her free left hand. After several knee strikes, Lucina slammed him with her one-arm. Lucina tried to follow up with another attack but short-hopped on purpose so Duck Hunt would attack to get her off. The bluenette the charged her overhead thrust, which ended up killing the dog. After she won, Lucina turned to see her goddess emitting her halo to finish off R.O.B, winning the sixth level.

They returned to the resting area before facing the final round. So far they were performing well until the sixth level where both women got hit with different team combinations that cost them their first life. Both Palutena and Lucina replenished their entire damage dealt from that level before stepping back into the final match.

The final stage took place in the world of Pac-Land. The four fighters that appeared were Little Mac, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Mr. Game and Watch. The audience was concerned since of all the stages selected, this particular one was chosen. This stage had notably ruined many runs that other teams had on Pac-Land. However, this was not going to faze Palutena and Lucina as they still believed that they could advance to the finals. Winning the final level would increase their probabilities.

All six fighters began with Pac-Man’s house and the blast zones began to shift to the right, meaning anyone on the left side had to hurry or else be eliminated. Donkey Kong began winding up his left arm until the tenth charge. Little Mac ran to Lucina as fast as he could for a lunging overhead. The bluenette grabbed the boxer to throw him back but was then grabbed by Luigi afterward. The goddess did not want Lucina to die early, so she slammed Little Mac, Lucina, and Luigi with her blue shield, pushing them back to the center of the stage. As the stage kept moving, there were hydrants that were on the ground, pushing anything that was in its way. Lucina tried to swing her Falchion behind her but was hit with the green plumber’s flying kick. Then, Little Mac continued the combination with his rising uppercut which his right hand went into a corkscrew motion before ending it with the uppercut on his left hand. Palutena emitted her halo to stop Little Mac and Luigi’s combination but was too late. She still managed to hit them. Lucina tried to slash the boxer in a downward arc, but Game & Watch jumped out to toss out a pair of fish from a bowl. The Ylissean was going to drift towards the center stage but DK came out to back kick her to the left side of the stage. Thankfully, Lucina escaped the attack and managed to land at the center of the stage. The boxer shifted his target to the swordswoman and ran towards her. She was ready for a parry but Little Mac stopped, which made her fall for his bait and delivered a cross punch to her. She was sent towards the right side of the stage where Luigi was and he dropkicked her, nearly putting her on the verge of defeat.

Palutena, looking at how her girlfriend was getting hit, decided to resort to her Lightweight form. She did not want to witness Lucina’s defeat with a series of attacks while a stage benefits that. The first thing she did was gliding towards Luigi who was running to grab the swordswoman from behind. Due to her speed, she grabbed him instead and telekinetically threw him back, which miraculously defeated him.

“You’re using your Lightweight?” Lucina asked, wondering if that was going to hurt their chances of progressing to the finals.

“I’m using it so we can win _together_.” She grabbed Lucina’s left hand to pick her up before getting ready to make use of her special move before it ran out. Lucina smiled that Palutena would do anything to keep her alive and emphasized that they win this round together.

The goddess quickly slammed her shield into Donkey Kong before telekinetically twirling her staff to Game & Watch. The stage’s scenery shifted to a forest, which made it harder for the fighters to see each other. The kong saw Palutena’s sparkling glitter, which he ended up turning around to grab her. However, Lucina snuck up and grabbed him. She heard Little Mac running up to her, so she tossed Donkey Kong behind her. Both opponents collided with each other and were on the left side of the stage. The Ylissean slowly walked up to them for an attack, but Donkey Kong tried to punch her with his mighty fist. Unfortunately for him, Lucina predicted his move and parried the attack, killing both him and the boxer. The last two fighters that arrived were Mario and Pac-Man. Those three opponents were the ones that stood in their way from completing the entire All-Star mode.

The scene now changed again. This time, there was a bridge with several platforms above the water. As all five fighters were on the bridge, Lucina stood still on a particular spot as Game & Watch tried to execute a sliding head-butt while having a helmet on. But then, a sprout of water erupted under them and the Ylissean shielded her opponent’s attack. Once the water reached its peak, Lucina had thrust her Falchion above her, sending the 2D man out of the stage. Unfortunately, Mario jumped to the bluenette and bicycle kicked her twice before performing a jumping uppercut that produced coins. Before the final coin was produced, Palutena, with the remaining parts of her Lightweight effect, emitted her halo to interrupt the red plumber’s attack. Lucina barely escaped her defeat thanks to her goddess from saving her. Now that her Lightweight effect was gone, they had to pull off a miracle against Pac-Man’s projectiles and Mario’s dangerous combo game.

The four fighters were in Fairy Land. Most of the stage was covered with flowers with the Fairy Queen standing in front of it. However, the stage started shifting in the opposite direction with the blast zone killing people earlier on the right side rather than on the left side. They returned to the water portion of Pac-Land. Pac-Man placed his hydrant on the middle platform while he dropped back to find the correct fruit of his choice. Mario then charged his F.LU.D.D as the water pushed him towards both women. Lucina ran towards the plumber to attack him with her sword dance. However, the bluenette was hit by Pac-Man’s bell, stunning her for a brief stint. Palutena stood in front of Lucina so she could get grabbed by Mario instead. The plumber then spun the goddess by her legs three times before sending her to Pac-Man. The round man dropkicked her, pushing her back to the plumber. As Mario tried to continue the string, Lucina leaped towards him and tried to swing her Falchion downward. However, the red plumber quickly dropkicked the bluenette as well, unable to help her goddess for a moment. Mario landed on the highest platform and did one spinning uppercut before jumping up for a bicycle kick. The greenette was in grave danger of being eliminated. Lucina tried her best to help Palutena but Pac-Man threw a Galaxian at her. While being trapped, Pac-Man dealt several dropkicks while the Galaxian was following and hitting the bluenette in the process. He ended the combination by extending a trail of Pac-Dots with a Power Pellet at the end. Pac-Man transformed into his wedge form before propelling himself to eat the pellets. Lucina was hit and was sent nearly high above the stage. Mario jumped up for a rising uppercut. However, his attack was stopped by Palutena’s autoreticle. As the Ylissean descended to the stage, the stage had transitioned back to the forest. The red plumber drifted away from both women so he can reset the neutral game. Meanwhile, Pac-Man placed another hydrant in front of him and Mario charged his F.L.U.D.D fully before getting ready to fight.

Palutena and Lucina were on the right side of the stage, making sure that everything was going fine for them. They knew why this particular level was difficult due to Mario being able to predict his opponent’s moves while Pac-Man used his projectiles and hydrant to keep a wall on his opponents.

“We need to stop Pac-Man first,” Lucina said to her goddess. “He’s been using that hydrant and bonus fruits to throw us into Mario.”

“I’ll deflect them while you come in for the kill,” the greenette agreed as she glided towards Pac-Man while the bluenette followed behind her.

Pac-Man found the apple and threw it at the goddess. Palutena deflected it sending it back him. But then the red plumber ran past Pac-Man and waved a yellow cape in front of him. The power from the deflections was strong enough to kill anyone remaining in the battlefield. However, Lucina ran past her woman and parried the attack. A strange moment happened. The hydrant pushed both Mario and Pac-Man towards the bluenette, making them vulnerable to get hit by her counterattack. However, the mustache man side-stepped away while Pac-Man got hit and was sent away to the left side of the stage and was not seen again. One more remaining.

The stage shifted back to its first environment from the beginning of the match. Because Mario was by himself, Palutena and Lucina ran towards him, forcing him to react in a certain way. The goddess went to slam him with her blue, round shield but Mario jumped away to escape the attack. However, Lucina leaped as well to swing her Falchion downward, hitting him to the left side of the stage. Both women continued to put pressure on him to resort to a defensive option again. This time Palutena was going to fight Mario in the air while Lucina stayed grounded. Mario rolled away when the bluenette ran forward. The Ylissean stopped and waited for the plumber to come to her. As the stage was sneaking up behind both women, Palutena jumped above Mario trying to execute a downward roundhouse kick. Something, though, felt wrong for the swordswoman. She felt that her goddess was going to get killed by Mario’s upward arc headbutt. As a result, Lucina ran towards Mario to try and stop her woman’s attack. She predicted wrong. The plumber took a step back, halting the bluenette for a second and delivering a powerful fiery palm thrust. The Ylissean quickly reacted to the attack by her lunging downward slash. Both attacks traded in which all three fighters ended up getting hit. Palutena and Lucina were sent to the right side while Mario was knocked back to the left. The bluenette saw that the goddess was behind her by the plumber’s attack. The greenette’s left arm was within close distance with her body, so Lucina grabbed her girlfriend’s arm and threw her towards the center of the stage.

That was the crucial moment because Mario and Lucina were met with the blast zones.

The match was over. Palutena and Lucina managed to complete their final All-Star run with the bluenette saving her goddess from failing to complete the trial over a fatal mistake. At the lounge, Robin jumped off from her seat and cheered vociferously that it startled Pit and Zelda. She was so overjoyed for her friend since that was potentially the trial that qualified them to the finals. The competition, however, was close for all teams so any team could have made it.

Palutena and Lucina returned back to the white room and could not express how intense their fights were at the end of the All-Star run. They thought after Mario unleashed his fiery palm thrust they were eliminated from the tournament. It was still unsure whether they made it or not once the judges calculated the final scores. The greenette was surprised that her swordswoman pulled her back, saving her from being blasted into the end zone. Not only was she surprised, she also felt delighted and warm inside after that little interaction happened. She could not hold it anymore.

“Lucina,” Palutena called to her woman. Her eyes were watering up because of her actions. “You saved me.”

“I did,” Lucina confirmed before looking away, feeling sheepish that she was getting praised for something she thought was little. “I wanted to save you because I rather take the defeat so you could fight Mario if he lived.”

“You’re so considerate,” she placed her hands on the side of the bluenette’s hips, making Lucina smile. “That’s why you’re my woman.”

“You’re my goddess,” they embraced a hug. Despite having a rough start at the start of their All-Star runs, they managed to win at the most critical moments.

The main screen then caught their attention because they were ready to announce the four finalists for the tournament. The judges called the team names that had advanced to the finals.

“The four finalists of the Smash-thlon tournament are the team of Samus and Zelda, Link and Meta Knight, Mario and Luigi, and… Palutena and Lucina.”


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Lucina could not believe what she heard. She and Palutena were one of the finalists for the tournament. No words could express how jovial she felt even when the goddess hugged her as a form of celebrating their amazing performance throughout the tournament. It was so much to take in that the Ylissean had to take a couple of breathers before she could even speak. But then, their friends came in to cheer for them.

“AAAHHH!” Robin burst through the white room to hug her best friend after advancing to the finals with the most intense ending she saw. “You two are so good! I can’t tell you how happy I am for you two!”

“Thank you, Robin,” the greenette smiled at the tactician’s support. “We really appreciate that.”

The Ylissean princess had a strange feeling from her friend’s words. She had reasonable belief that Robin found out that she and Palutena got back together. Confusion arose for her because there was no way the mage had found out because Lucina never told her. She shook it off and was going to talk about it to her in private.

“It was difficult but we managed to pull through,” Lucina ended up said trying hard to not make it obvious that she had suspicions about Robin.

“Lady Palutena!” Pit ran up and hugged both Palutena and Lucina, overjoyed that they were in the finals despite all the odds. “You two are the best team in this tournament!”

“Excuse me?” Zelda pouted humorously to embarrass the white angel as she placed her hands on her hips and moved them to the right. “Samus and I are the best teams. We’re not going to let you two win that easily.”

“Are you challenging us then?” Palutena played along with the Hylian’s fake tension between them. “I bet we can beat you two and win the tournament.”

“We are the favorites to win it all,” the brunette liked this sort of joke and Samus was not objecting to it. Pit felt a bit worried that there was a slight chance of bitter rivalry. “You two are merely just a weaker team who got lucky.”

“Big disagree,” the goddess continued on. “We got the attention of the audience while you two could not produce such attraction.”

“Sassy,” Zelda acted a little bratty before deciding to end the fun. “We’ll settle this on the battlefield.”

“Looking forward to it,” afterward everyone all smiled and laughed at all the good things that had happened recently.

“Anyways, we should all celebrate with some food. What you do all think?” The Hylian princess suggested since she wanted to congratulate not just themselves but also Palutena and Lucina’s Cinderella run of this tournament.

“It is not an issue from me,” the male tactician said.

“If that’s what it takes to hang out with you guys, I’m all for it,” the white angel answered with so many positive vibes.

“I’ll go if Robin wants to go,” the dark angel said even though he was willing to go.

“I’ll go because my angel insists,” she wrapped her arms around Dark Pit’s left arm. “Lucy?”

“Palutena?” Hearing the way Lucina made that particular call caused Robin to make a small smirk at her friend. The bluenette, unfortunately, did not see that expression.

“I don’t mind at all,” the goddess said contently before everyone cheered softly. “So where are we thinking of going?”

“How about pizza?” Pit suggested since he was craving for that particular food.

“Cool with me,” Robin said as everyone else was not against the restaurant to go to.

“Great!” Zelda clapped her hands, excited to hang out with the people she liked along with her woman. “I know a place to go.”

“You guys can go ahead,” Robin said before turning to her friend. “I need to talk to Lucina about something in private.”

All but Lucina nodded before exiting out so both could have a moment together. Even though the female mage said they could go to the restaurant now, they were behind the door to eavesdrop on the conversation between them. Palutena was also interested in the conversation, so she joined along.

Now it was only the bluenette and the tactician. Lucina had a good feeling what her friend was going to talk but she really want to talk about it because Robin was the right person she went to for this. The mage walked closer to the swordswoman and stood just several feet from each other. There was a brief silence before someone decided to initiate the conversation.

“Robin,” the Ylissean princess began, hinting that the conversation was already known. “I know why you want to talk to me in private.”

“If you know, then tell me,” her response sounded like it was some sort of trick that she was trying to pull. “I may be thinking something you’re not thinking.”

“But I know you’re thinking exactly what I am thinking as well,” she tried to not fall into her trap, so, she kept persisting.

“It could be a completely different topic,” Robin was trying to mess with her friend just to poke fun at her.

“It’s about Palutena and me, isn’t it?” The swordswoman was not having it, so it was easier to say it now than delaying it.

Robin was silent, confirming that that was where the conversation was headed. She slowly conceded, “yeah…”

“Well, what do you want to know?”

“I saw you and Palutena kiss before your final trial,” hearing that made the Ylissean’s face flush. She realized that was how Robin was able to figure out about them. Her guilty expression was enough for the tactician to confirm that her claim was true. “Tell me, Lucy, you and Palutena are back together, right?”

Lucina’s smile was all she needed for her claim to be true. “Yes,” she quietly said before Robin expressed her emotions.

“AH! Lucy!”

“I know! I’m so happy!”

Both hugged and cheered in glee by jumping up and down from the delightful news. Lucina was jovial that she finally disclosed her relationship with the goddess to Robin. The female tactician was so emotional for her friend that she nearly was in tears because she really wanted Lucina and Palutena to be a couple again.

“You really chose her,” Robin whipped the water from her eyes with her robe.

“You told me to answer that question myself: the first person I want to be with without thinking about it. In the end, it was Palutena. I never regretted that decision.”

“I’m sorry that Meta Knight was not the one.”

“Were you really?” The bluenette asked, knowing that was not true at all.

“Pffh, no,” she admitted, grossed out at the thought of Star Warrior and Lucina together. “I’m sorry if I sound like a complete ass, but I never liked the idea of you two. It just does not work. You two are different as species and in height. It honestly made me cringe.”

“Don’t worry, Robin,” the mage was a bit surprised to hear that her words did not make the bluenette upset whatsoever. “He doesn’t see me the same when I rejected him for Palutena and explained why.”

“Oh,” she felt bad that something like that had to happen to her friend. “But did he ever like you from the start?”

“That’s what I asked myself.”

“But at least you’re happy, right?”

“Of course!” Lucina said loudly and passionately. “I never lost those feelings for Palutena. It just took a while to find it after we broke up. But no more. I chose my fate with her. Every time I see, touch or kiss her, I get this warm feeling inside. I always feel so blissful to even be with her. I love being with her because she truly never sees me as an awful person. She also understands about myself more than anyone else here. Every time I would feel down, she always finds a way to make me feel better about myself. Meta Knight makes me feel like he likes me when I talk to him about himself and I. With Palutena, she wants me to be happy and live my life the way I want it to be. Words cannot describe how much she means to me.”

“Aw,” Robin felt touched by Lucina’s moving words about her girlfriend. Because of that, she had water running from her eyes. She cannot express how adorable it was for the bluenette to talk so sweetly about her goddess. “You two are so cute together. Whenever you talk about her, I can’t stop help but geek out. I know I’m acting some fangirl but I just love you and Palutena together.”

“You shouldn’t be,” the swordswoman hugged her best friend one more time. “I’m glad you were by my side whenever I was lost or not myself.”

“Always, Lucy, always.”

“Thank you for talking to me about this. I feel so much better now that I can finally disclose this to you,” she closed her eyes for a moment before breaking the hug. “Anyways, we should meet up with everyone else.”

“Yeah. I’m pretty hungry after stressing out over your match.”

They realized after exiting out the white room everyone was waiting for them since no one should be left behind, especially going to a specific destination. After they rejoiced, the group walked their way to the city. The pizza place that Zelda wanted to go to was on the south side of the city, which was a quieter area. This would be a more calm and relaxing area without unnecessary noises coming from strangers. Along the way, Palutena and Lucina told everyone else about their relationship to which they pretended to be surprised. Although they were not surprised because of Robin, they were glad that they were back together.

They found the restaurant that was fairly large for a pizza joint. There were two levels with a huge balcony that people can sit to dine and watch the view of the quiet side of the city. The windows were made of large glass so people can see through the atmosphere of the interior. Upon entering inside, the area appeared to be larger compared to the outside. The far backside was a kitchen of workers making dozens of pizza a day depending on how busy they were. Most of the first level had a variety of tables for two, four, and eight. It was dispersed evenly throughout the ground floor. In the front was a black metal podium with a tablet on top for an employee to reserve and take people in. Zelda asked for a table for eight people. Luckily, the business was not busy but had a decent amount of customers, so the employee let all of them inside. She then directed them upstairs towards the balcony where there were not as many people there. It looked as if the balcony was reserved for people to had it on a first come, first serve basis. Samus and Zelda sat next to each other while Robin and Dark Pit sat next to each other but across from the Hylian and the Chozo woman. Pit and Avatar were alongside with their opposites. Finally, Palutena and Lucina sat next to each other alongside with Samus and Zelda. The waiter then came around to hand them a two-page menu to each one. She then asked if they wanted to start off with any drinks.

“We’ll find out first and then order along with our main course,” the brunette said before the waiter acknowledged and left for the eight to order their food and drink. “So how should we order our pizzas?”

“I say we get two large pizzas and get some sides to go with it,” Robin suggested thinking that just eating pizza seemed dull.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Zelda agreed but did not want to go on further if anyone else objected. “Does anyone else have other ideas?”

No one disagreed on the idea, so they went with Robin’s suggestion. Now they needed to decide what sides to get to add variety to their plate.

“This salad looks appetizing,” the Ylissean princess said as she pointed the option and had the goddess check it.

“You can get it if you like, Lucy,” Palutena grinned and chuckled because the swordswoman acted like she needed her woman’s approval to get it. “I think we’re all getting different sides and sharing.”

“Are we?”

“That is a good idea, Palutena,” the brunette liked other selections that her friends were adding. She peered through the menu to see anything else she wanted to get. After looking through the options, she found what she liked and shared the menu with the blonde. “Samus, let’s share some wings together.”

“Sure,” no objections from the bounty hunter. “What type of flavor do you want? I’m getting mine spicy.”

“Ooh,” the princess would not mind spicy food but she would limit the amount she consumes, or she will start to hiccup. “If you’re going to get that, then I want something sweet like BBQ.”

“Whatever you like.”

“Robin,” Dark Pit asked his mage, wondering what she was going to get. She turned to him to hear what he had to say to her. “What are you getting?”

“Probably a salad like Lucy,” she responded since the choices from that section were interesting to her. “How about you, Angel?”

“Beats me,” nothing really appealed to him but he did not want to eat just pizza. “I’ll settle for some wings, I suppose.”

“Palutena, what you going to add?” Lucina inquired to her goddess as she was musing as to what to order.

“I’ll share some salad with you,” she ended up saying, which made the bluenette smile since they were going to share food together.

While they were enjoying each other’s company, the white angel appeared to smile for them but felt conflicting emotions inside. He did not want to express how he was feeling to his goddess until the time was appropriate. Pit preferred to have that conversation between him, Palutena, and even Lucina. There was unfinished business to settle because not every issue was resolved. Not one person observed and assessed the white angel’s body language expect for the Ylissean princess. She wanted to say something but refrained from doing so since it was not an appropriate time to have such a discussion.

After the waiter returned to take their orders, everybody ordered everything they needed to get along with their drinks. As they waited for their orders, the next topic of discussion was wondering if future Smash tournaments were still going to scheduled or planned. With the arrivals of Corrin, Cloud, and Bayonetta, however, it was unlikely that future tournaments will discontinue. The three newcomers had not been debuted in their competitive career so far. Everyone’s inputs on each new fighter were slightly different from each other. Lucina, Robin, and Avatar were delighted to see Corrin be introduced to the competition of Smash. Pit was interested in how Cloud would perform in tournaments. He was willing to be his friend and learn some fighting tactics he may know. Zelda knew that the soldier and Link looked like strong rivals from the minute they saw each other. The Hylian believed without a doubt that Link would merge victorious should they duel with each other. Samus did not want to assume how each newcomer’s capabilities based on their appearance; she would rather fight them one-on-one to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each one. However, the one fighter that astonished them the most was the Umbra Witch. Palutena, in particular, was not fond of her when she first got a glimpse of her and learned about her past. Since Bayonetta slayed gods, the goddess had to be sure to not see her bad side. She was also concerned to Pit and Dark Pit because the witch also killed angels as well. The conversation came to an end when their pizzas and sides were delivered to them.

The two pizzas were simple cheese and supreme, which no one objected to because it was an ideal option if people were picky and could not come to a conclusion.

“This pizza’s alright,” Robin halfheartedly said in a sarcastic tone as she kept consuming her slice.

“I think it’s good,” Dark Pit honestly said without realizing his lady was trying to lighten up the mood.

“It’s isn’t too greasy and fattening,” Zelda savored every bite that her slice had. “That’s why I like it.”

“It’s so delicious!” Pit exclaimed in ecstasy as he already finished his first slice. “This is the place pizza place in the city.”

“Here we go again,” the black angel rolled his eyes over, knowing he had heard this many times before. “You say that at every single pizza joint we go to.”

“But I mean it this time,” Pit was certain that he was being genuine about it.

“Oh,” he pretended to not be surprised to hear the same stuff he had heard already. “Sure you do.”

“Pittoo,” the greenette signaled the dark angel to cease teasing the white angel. “Let Pit enjoy himself, understand?”

“Yeah, but I’m going to take it the next time he going to say the same thing at another pizza place,” he pouted before the female tactician fisted his shoulder. “What?”

“You’re adorable, you know that?”

“What does that have to do with this?” He questioned as he took a bite of his mild wings.

“You getting angry at your doppelganger,” she took a bite of a lettuce from her salad slowly before turning to her angel. “I find it kinda cute and funny.”

“You’re weird, in case you didn’t know,” he smirked trying to get back at her for saying such unusual words to him.

“I already know that,” the tactician was not ashamed at the slightest. “I embrace it.”

“Robin can be embarrassing sometimes,” the bluenette said to her goddess as she cut her slice of pizza with a fork and knife before taking a bite. “I’m sorry you see her like that.”

“I don’t mind that at all. She’s still a wonderful person,” Palutena giggled as she forked her Caesar salad but she held it close to her girlfriend. “Lucy, open up.”

Lucina said nothing and listened to what the greenette said. After she took a bite, they both chuckled at the little things they do as a couple. While they getting laughs, Pit stared at them, feeling a little worried about himself now that Palutena was with Lucina again. He thought that he was over this because he got the talk from others, but something deep inside him was slowly probing his mind on the worst outcomes for him. The feeling he cannot escape was emptiness. Why was it that every time Palutena and Lucina express affection to each other, Pit was stepping closer to a dark void where nothing was there for him?

Time had gone by before most of their foods were finished. It was not stuffing but it was enough for everyone to be satisfied with their meals. As Zelda asked for separate checks for all, she stood up with her cup of tea.

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” She tipped her cup with a spoon so her friends could focus on her. All eyes were on the Hylian. The stage was her’s. “I just want to congratulate Palutena and Lucina on progressing to the finals along with Samus and me.”

Robin, Avatar, Pit and Dark Pit clapped and applauded the finalists as if they won a major tournament even though they were in the finals. They wondered if that was all Zelda had to say but it looked like they were wrong.

“Another thing I want to say is just how far we’ve all come to get to where we are now,” this was going to be a much bigger speech because the Hylian had already planned before coming to this restaurant. She thought about her speech during that time. “From us becoming friends, we share a bond to always never forget the times we spent together. To Robin and Dark Pit, I’m happy that you two finally confessed to each other after so long. You two are great together. Palutena and Lucina, I can’t of any other people as cute as you two. The way you always have those affections and looking out for each other, it makes my heart warm. And Samus,” the brunette turned to her bounty hunter with the most beautiful, soft smile, making Samus smile as well. “I never thought the day where you and I would feel the same for each other. You and I complement each other, two pieces melded together as one heart. I love you.”

“I love you, too Zelda,” the blonde stood up and planted a passionate kiss before stopping so she would not get caught any potential mass media members.

After the wonderful speech the Hylian princess made, they all paid their checks and had made their way back to the mansion. As they arrived inside the building, they all stood in a circle, wondering if they were all going to continue to have a social gathering.

“Samus and I are going to spend some time together, so we have to leave,” the brunette held her right hand with the blonde’s left hand. “Let’s meet together again sometime.”

“Angel and I got to go back to the city for a little exploration,” Robin decided to go with her black angel for more quality time together. “So we’ll depart. It’s fun hanging out with you all.”

“I have another appointment scheduled for me, so I, too, will have to depart ways,” the male Robin said as he stepped away from the group. “I enjoyed our time together. May we do the same some other time.”

Everyone had waved to each other goodbye until they decided to hang out again. The lounge was left with Pit, Palutena, and Lucina. There was a brief silence between the three as it environment was awkward for them. No one wanted to say anything. What was there to say? Was Pit going to leave by himself? Both women were not sure. Eventually, the goddess had broken the silence.

“Lucina,” she said to her swordswoman. “Do you want to play some games with me?”

“I’d be delighted to play games,” the bluenette was very excited to a series of activities with her woman. “What kind of games do you suggest?”

Before the goddess could even answer, Pit finally said the courage to say what was on his mind.

“Lady Palutena, Lucina,” he called to them in a concerned tone, worrying Palutena.

“What’s wrong, Pit? Is there something on your mind?” The greenette felt something different coming from the white angel. She felt real melancholy and forlorn when he saw her and Lucina talking.

“Can we talk about this somewhere so people can’t see or hear us?”

“Of course,” Palutena decided to lead the other two to her room where no one could see or hear them. Luckily, most Smashers were not in the mansion, so the odds of them overhearing the conversation would be very slim. Once all three entered inside Palutena’s room and sat onto her couches, it was time for a meaningful conversation between them.

“Pit,” the greenette asked in a concerned tone. “Is there something wrong? Did something upset you back at the pizza place?”

“It’s not that,” he responded sounding hurt just talking to his goddess. “It’s something else.”

“Please tell me it’s not something alarming,” she practically hoped that nothing horrendous happened to him, or she would have taken action.

“Pit,” the bluenette softly spoke to the angel. “There’s nothing that you should hide from Palutena. She’s the one who’s always been taking care of you all of your life. She’ll gladly help in any way she can.”

The white angel locked eyes with the swordswoman, which spooked her for a bit. She could not see the Pit that she knew before. “Can you really say that to me?”

“I beg your pardon?” Lucina was confused with his question as she tiled her head to the left.

“Pit, you are acting strange,” the goddess pointed out the obvious but was frightened.

“How can you say that when you’re taking her away from me?!” Pit screamed out what he felt inside of himself. The room was dead silent. Lucina could not express anything because she felt petrified by the claim Pit made to her. Palutena felt a mix of anger and remorse since she knew why he felt that way, or so she thought.

“Am I stealing Palutena away from you?” The bluenette spoke aloud, afraid to be berated by the white angel.

“I think you are.”

“That’s enough, Pit!” The greenette hollered at Pit angrily for making a bold statement against her woman. “So what if I kissed her? That doesn’t mean-“

“You’re not understanding why I said that,” that silenced the goddess from her tracks.

“I’m sorry?”

“My feelings right now are not directed towards you, Lady Palutena,” his expression showed despair and hopeless. “They’re towards Lucina.”

“Me?” No words could describe how dishonorable the Ylissean felt about herself. “I thought you were okay with Palutena and me dating?”

“I thought I did,” he tried to explain his thoughts. “But when I saw you and Lady Palutena kiss, I didn’t feel that way.”

“If you don’t like the idea of us dating, then so be it,” Lucina became defensive, feeling a bit indignant towards Pit for misinterpreting his explanation.

“You do still not understand me, both of you,” the white angel was slightly irked. He continued on, “the way Lady Palutena said how she felt about you back then and now, I was afraid, no terrified about-“

“About what?”

“Losing Lady Palutena.”

Neither woman could comprehend where Pit was coming from, especially Lucina who, for the most part, hardly knew Pit. The goddess, on the other hand, was slightly confused but upset that Pit was thinking so pessimistic. She recalled the times where she had significant relationships with other gods and goddesses from Angel Land. Pit acted differently only to the swordswoman. Palutena took memory the wrong way and felt more irate.

“Pit,” she began, hinting a slight anger under her tone. “You didn’t have a problem with my previous relationships with other gods and goddesses. Why is Lucina the one that made you feel so negative to her and yourself? Is it because she’s a mortal? If so, then that’s-“

“That’s not it,” he wanted to tear up because the more he wanted to speak about it; the more likely he was to refuse to even reveal it. The idea of expressing that went against his very personality. However, he eventually gave in. “When you had significant relationships with other deities, I thought you would marry one of them, and we’d be a happy family together. They lived in the same land as you and I do.”

The conversation finally took a turn where Pit wanted it to be.

“I wanted you to be happy. If you had spent your life with a god or a goddess, I was fine with it because you two and I would live together as a family. I knew if that did happen you weren’t going to leave me, Lady Palutena. I really can’t find myself without you.”

Both women felt horrible about themselves for not letting Pit speak out about it because they kept interrupting and assuming things. Palutena finally knew where he was coming from, but Lucina was still not putting the pieces together.

“Pit,” the swordswoman asked the white angel. “Did you have parents growing up?”

“Not really,” he gave in after debating on whether saying it to the Ylissean was a good idea or not. “At a young age, I didn’t have parents. Lady Palutena was the only one who raised me. I owe her my life because if it wasn’t for her, I would not be here or even what I am today. I couldn’t even begin to think about what my life would have been if Lady Palutena was not there for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“When the Chaos Kin possessed Lady Palutena, I had to fight her in order to save her. I tried to not hurt her in any way possible because I could’ve killed her just trying to save her,” all this information was starting to scare and shock Lucina. She had no idea that Pit’s anguish for her stemmed from his life course. The goddess knew what Pit was talking about and was getting the picture together. “Although I broke the link, the Chaos Kin ripped her soul turning her into stone. I..I thought I lost her there. Some stupid arachnid almost killed Lady Palutena, the woman who raised me all my life!”

Hearing that particular information pushed Lucina on the brink of breaking down, she had never heard a time where Palutena turned into stone, nearly losing her soul for eternity. Palutena did not want to remember the time where she was nearly dead for good at the cost of Pit’s sacrifice and will to save her. Water ran down the Ylissean’s eyes. The mere thought of Palutena dead was unbearable for Lucina to even think about. It was coming close to breaking her down.

“Lucina, you come from a different world,” Pit was not finished explaining his whole feelings.  She had to bear more of it to truly understand. “If Lady Palutena was going to spend her life with you, she’ll leave Angel Land to be with you. I can’t go anywhere else because I can’t fly on my own, meaning I have stay at my home forever. I can’t live forever knowing that Lady Palutena is spending her entire life with you, without thinking about me. If I lose her again, I don’t know what I do. My life with Lady Palutena means nothing if I can’t share that with her. I don’t want her to leave and forget me. I lost my parents at a young age; I didn’t want to feel that way again if I lost Lady Palutena.”

“Pit,” Palutena walked up to him and hugged him tightly, tearing up that he was afraid that she’ll leave and forget him. “I will never forget you. I don’t even know what I’d do without you. You’ve done so much for our world that I cannot express how amazing you are.”

“Don’t forget me,” Pit hugged her back, bursting in tears.

“I’ll never. I need you more than you need me.”

“Palutena!” Lucina stood up with water in her eyes and expressing distraught to her woman. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?!”

“Lucina,” the goddess tried to make physical contact to calm her down.

“I’m really upset!” She pushed back her goddess’s arms, shocking her because of that. The greenette’s eyes sharply revealed how fearful she was. “During the time we’ve dated, I’ve told you everything about my life. But not once did you ever tell me something like this!”

“I did want to talk about it,” she defended herself but the Ylissean was skeptical about that. “I just didn’t expect Pit to find out about it by us kissing that way and it just fell apart. When we got back together, I wanted to talk to Pit in private before going to you about it.”

“But you were so defensive when I had made one insult to Pit because of some tournament we had before we broke up,” Lucina was feeling many emotions right now. She was upset at both the angel and the goddess, but she did not want to. The only thing she cared about was to understand Pit’s feelings. It just did not turn out well for her. She took everything the wrong way.

“I wanted to protect Pit,” the goddess admitted, trying not to get too emotional over her argument with the bluenette. “His mind wasn’t in the right place. I never realized how my relationship with you meant I was drawing away from him. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone saying cruel things to Pit when he’s the one who saved Angel Land several times. That’s why I was defensive when you said rude things to him. He’s been through tough times and people just can’t understand where he was coming from. He wants to live happily and be to fly on his own.”

The Ylissean now had ambivalent feelings after listening to her goddess’s perspective. She only wished she knew about this earlier. Otherwise, their breakup would not have happened and Pit would have compromised with Lucina by then. However, she realized that although Palutena is her girlfriend, the greenette also had to maintain her relationships with others, especially Pit. She felt worse about herself because this whole time, she acted selfish and did not take responsibility for her subtle actions towards Pit and Palutena.

“Lucina,” the goddess tried to grab her.

“No.”

“Lucina!”

“No.”

“Lucina!!” Palutena managed to grab both of her arms and embraced her with all of her might. She thought the swordswoman would try to break away, but Lucina never did. She hugged her back and broke down crying. The goddess caressed the bluenette’s hair to help her feel a little better.

“I’m so stupid,” the Ylissean said aloud.

“You’re not,” the greenette said firmly.

“Lucina,” Pit added. “You understand now, right?”

Palutena broke the hug, so Lucina could walk up to the white angel and hug him as well.

“I understand now,” she told Pit as she still cried from everything that had transpired. “I’m so sorry for saying insulting things to you behind your back. I was just mad that things didn’t go the way I wanted it. I shouldn’t disrespected your name in vain. I don’t want Palutena to leave and forget you.”

“I was mad at you for hurting Palutena with your sword,” the white angel continued on while Lucina was all ears. “She could’ve died there, too. I ended up becoming too protective of Lady Palutena because of that. I had to make sure I was present whenever you were with her. Then you started talking to her more. At first, Lady Palutena was telling me you trying to be friends with her. You were humble towards me, which made me open up to you more until you and Lady Palutena kissed each other. When I saw that, I was lied to by you and Lady Palutena. I thought she didn’t care about me because she was always spending time you and only you. Not once did she ever think of me when it came to feeling loved. That’s why I distrusted you for that time. I just don’t want to be lonely. I want people to appreciate and love me for who I am. I want to help everyone and put a smile on their faces. Lady Palutena was the last person I want to leave me without leaving a single care for me.”

“I want to apologize with all of my heart to you,” the bluenette genuinely said, attempting to suppress her tears. “I was a selfish moron who couldn’t even listen to what you had to say. Can… we start over and be friends for real?”

“Yes,” the white angel said without hesitation. “You now understand, right?”

“I understand,” Lucina knew why the white angel felt the way he felt. “How can I make this all up to you?”

“Promise me that I won’t be left behind and Lady Palutena will still be there for me.”

Neither angel nor swordswoman had anything else to say. Things went well for them. Both had compromised each other after an exchange of heavy-felt words from Pit and Lucina. After they broke the hug, the Ylissean walked up to her goddess while her head still hung low.

“Are you still mad at me for not telling you?” Palutena did not want to see her girlfriend be upset with her, so she was willing to do something to make her feel better.

“I’m not,” her response put a little smile on the greenette’s face. Lucina then looked up to lock eyes with her woman. Her eyes were red from the tears she shed. Water was still present, but she cracked a smile to tell Palutena that she was fine. “I finally understand Pit and you now. No more hiding things anymore. It was all a mess for us. We’re all at blame for this.”

Both Palutena and Pit agreed that their situation went awry and was not handled well.

“Palutena,” Lucina embraced her girlfriend once again. “I’m sorry I got mad at you.”

“You have every right to be mad at me,” the goddess lifted her woman’s chin upward so she could see her face. “I still care about you. I don’t want to see you like this. I’m going to do whatever it takes to see your cute smile again.”

“How are you going to do that?”

The goddess placed her forehead on Lucina’s forehead. They both then closed their eyes.

“By always being your side whenever you’re distressed. By always listening to you. By kissing you because I love you.”

A smile crept under Lucina’s lips. Palutena already fulfilled her promise to making her woman feel better.

Pit, after seeing his goddess and Lucina display an affectionate love, finally had escaped the dark void he was trapped in for so long.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The finals were coming up in two days. The finalists have been training and sparing with other teams to warm them up for the championship title. Each team practiced everything they had in order to perform at their best. While it was a major tournament, each team had a reason to win it all. Mario and Luigi had never won a tournament as partners. The red plumber, however, had won previous tournaments in singles. Winning this tournament would mean that they could share that victory together as brothers. Samus and Zelda had another reason to win the title despite being one of the favorites. The Hylian princess wanted to prove that she was not just a princess but also a formidable fighter. The bounty hunter was willing to prove her woman’s cause no matter what. Even if it would cost her the victory, it did not matter to her because she helped out the brunette in any way. Link and Meta Knight as individuals had dissimilar reasons. The blonde Hylian was a veteran fighter but had not won a major tournament for a long time. It would be a good feeling for him because he would have a title under his belt before retiring. Meta Knight had personal reasons compared to Link. The Star Warrior wanted to defeat Lucina and Palutena so that they do not share the victory together. By winning the tournament, it would feel satisfying to him but will not replace his heart being broken by the swordswoman’s rejection for the goddess. Palutena and Lucina’s reason for winning the tournament was to prove several things. The bluenette wanted to show to everyone that being a clone doesn’t bring her down. She wanted to break that perception by winning the tournament against all the odds. The greenette tried to redeem herself after hiding some secrets from Pit and Lucina. These were their personal goals to accomplish. As a couple, it was a test of overcoming the adversity of their relationship throughout the tournament. If they do not win, it was not their main concern; the thing that mattered was if they achieved their individual goals.

Dark Pit spent his morning and early afternoons practicing his archery shots. There was no real competitive motive; he simply enjoyed it as a pastime. Back then, shooting arrows behind the mansion was really to alleviate the stresses he used to have. Now he did it for enjoyment. He was then interrupted by his lovely tactician.

“Shooting more arrows?” Robin asked rhetorically while smirking.

“I needed to waste some time, so I thought this would help,” he replied before releasing an arrow that almost hit the target in the middle that he brought.

“Come on,” she teased. “You’re losing your accuracy.”

“At least my form isn’t bad,” he said while indirectly calling out his mage for having a much worse shot than he did.

“Ooh,” she pretended to be taken back by his words. Her body movements expressed the same way. “You’re so badass. I can’t possibly beat you in a game of archery.”

Dark Pit merely chuckled at the joke he and Robin were having. She then giggled as well, like the fact that they both had fun poking at each other with no intention of harm. Eventually, they had cut the teasing and resumed by having a normal conversation with each other.

“So what brought you here?” Dark Pit continued to practice aiming the bullseye of his target.

“I brought some food for the both of us,” she had a basket of food along with a blanket to cover themselves from the dirt. “I thought you were hungry, and I wanted to talk.”

“I see,” he shot his last arrow, which ended up hitting the target right in the middle. “I could go for a little break.”

He settled his bow on the blanket before sitting down next to his tactician. Robin took out several small sandwiches along with some fruit. She then took out two bottles of water for them to drink. It was not a lot, but it was something.

“The pizza place was pretty good,” the dark angel began as he was taking a bite of his ham sandwich.

“Well,” she disagreed partially. “You were a bit annoyed with Pit.”

“He can be a goof sometimes,” he continued. “But what can I do about that?”

“Suppose so,” the tactician took a bite of her ham sandwich. “But I had a good time. There was a lot of love that happened to everyone.”

“No question about that,” he agreed as he took a sip of his water. “Things are going well for everyone.”

“Yeah, especially, Lucina.”

“Because she was with Palutena again?”

“Yes but there’s more to it,” she could not help but grin at the thought of Lucina being happy with her life. “She’s so close to winning the tournament that people can finally see her differently.”

That particular conversation brought one certain question that he never really got to know: Why does Robin hate the word ‘clone’ so much, especially towards Lucina? He was uncertain if he should even ask the question. It was a topic that the tactician did not want to talk about. That topic was so personal to her that even talking about it would emotionally affect her. However, the dark angel truly wanted to know because he had some empathy for Lucina. He took a risk, hoping nothing could go wrong.

“Robin,” she turned to him, wondering what was on his mind. He took a deep breath before saying the question. “You don’t have to answer this but I want to know. I just need to know. Why do you hate the word ‘clone’, especially towards Lucina?”

The horrifying memory of the origin of her disgusted feelings towards the word came back vividly. She was a bit shaken by the question because she will never forget that incident. Her eyes were closed for several seconds. It reminded her why that word should never be coined or even used ever.

“Can we finish our food first and then talk about it?” That was unexpected to hear from the mage. The only other person she told something like this was the Avatar. Even though Dark Pit never knew, Robin almost revealed it to him when they started hanging out together. This time, Robin trusted her boyfriend to a point where she can tell something very personal to her.

Once they finished everything she brought, it was time to figure out Robin’s hatred for that word.

“I don’t want you to tell anyone else about this,” she gave Dark Pit the most serious yet fearful look. He knew from that expression that it was something extremely terrifying. “Can you promise me that?”

“Robin,” he grabbed both of his woman’s hands with his. His expression was also showed honesty. “I can tell this is very personal to you. I will not say anything to anyone. I swear it.”

“Thank you,” she smiled before expressing melancholy. Her story began.

_Robin and Lucina had become best friends after their match with Mega Man and Wii Fit Trainer. Whenever the bluenette had something to talk about, she would find Robin to discuss it. Since that was done many times, the tactician knew the Ylissean princess a lot more than anyone else. It was also the same the other way. If Lucina wanted to hang out with Robin, the mage would instantly join along. She had never felt irritated every time she interacted with the swordswoman. Their friendship was strong. It then came to a test on that one ugly day._

_The singles tournament had begun. Robin made it as far as Lucina did. She ended up losing to Samus after failing to catch her mobility. The bluenette’s match had not started. This was before she developed a crush on Palutena. It was a week before her qualifying match for the finals. She and Robin had finished their training. The tactician helped her friend out analyzing not just on her fighting play but also the opponents Lucina had to face. It was a long day before they decided to eat out in the city. As they walked around the city to find a place, they found a restaurant where it broadcasted Dark Pit and Pit’s qualifying match. After a hard fought battle, Rosalina emerged as the victor. It came down to the wire but the black angel failed to clinch the winning strike. The crown in the restaurant had a series of cheers after Rosalina defeated Dark Pit._

_“Damn,” Robin said as she paid for her meal. She was disappointed that the dark angel lost by missing the crucial winning move. “He was so close to winning that.”_

_“The way he was fighting,” Lucina agreed as she also paid her meal. “He looked like a contender for the title. He appeared to be a bit nervous.”_

_“I could tell. I wished he won that though.”_

_“Pssh,” an unwanted voice coming from of a citizen of the city. He mocked, “A clone playing so well? That’s coming from someone who is also a worthless clone.”_

_Lucina was taken back by the person’s demeaning words towards to her “Excuse me?”_

_“Look at you,” he pointed rudely at her. “You copy the Hero-King Marth. You can’t even have your own original fighting style because you’re a bland, flat-chested loser.”_

_“Ok, little man,” the tactician stood up and walked towards him. She was not having his insults anywhere. “What makes you think you can say really stupid things to her like that?”_

_“Don’t be so blind,” he was persistent. “You can’t deny that she’s unoriginal because she’s just a weaker Marth.”_

_“Don’t piss me off,” Robin was going to explode if he was not going to stop._

_“I was inspired by the Hero-King,” Lucina defended herself while holding back her frustration, angst, and tears from the citizen’s insults. “I took up his name to hide my identity in order to save my future.”_

_“Bullshit,” he disregarded the bluenette’s explanation. “We could’ve any original fighter who actually brought some diverse fighting style but no. Master Hand and his executive members had to invite you. Did you sleep with one of the executives so you can get a spot? Well, that’s a shitty thing to do because you don’t DESERVE to be here, you worthless clone!”_

_The citizen then threw his food and glass of alcohol at Lucina before attempting to throw a punch at her face. However, he was successful at his assault. The Ylissean princess had lost it along with the tactician. They retaliated by throwing their punches at him. The fight was short-lived as the citizen’s friends and one of the employees came to break up the three._

_“You fucking take that back, you little shit,” Robin hollered at him. Her blood was boiling to a point where she still wanted to beat the living days out of him._

_“Is this how your flat-chested clone handles things, by resorting to violence?” The citizen asked ironically. “How offended and weak do you have to be violent?”_

_“You threw glass and a fist at her,” she refuted angrily. “Talk about being a hypocrite.”_

_“Don’t listen to that crazy lady and the clone,” one of his friends made a rebuttal, defending his friend. “They get too emotional and offended by the little things.”_

_“Do you even know how much I get called for being a clone?” Lucina shouted out upsettingly. “Your friend has no idea how much mental damage this does to me.”_

_All of the citizen’s friends along with himself just laughed at the blunette’s response as if it was a joke. It just baffled both women that they had no idea the consequences their actions have on the swordswoman._

_“Are you seriously offended that someone said mean things to you? Toughen up, you whorish clone and stop being a snowflake.”_

_“That fucking tears it!” Robin took a swing at one of the guys that made the aforementioned comment. It was at that point that the security had to escort Robin and Lucina out of the restaurant. The tactician had to reason that the guys were the ones who caused trouble and assaulted Lucina. Sadly, they would not cooperate and just did their job. Before they had exited the building, another glass was thrown at the bluenette._

_“Just do yourself a favor for everyone and leave this competition and kill yourself! A piece of shit of a clone!”_

_That was the breaking point for Lucina. She ran back to the mansion. Her tears ran down her face continuously. Lucina had never dealt with something this horrendous because of her status as a clone. Robin had to chase her friend to help her out. After returning to the mansion, the bluenette ran up to her room to just stop suffering from the abuse. Thankfully, the tactician threw her tome to stop her friend’s door from fully closing. The bluenette did not even know that her door was blocked. The tactician ran inside to see Lucina holding her Falchion that was pointing at her chest._

_“Lucy!” Robin stood just several feet away from her friend. Her eyes showed absolute fear to see that Lucina wanted to end everything. “Please, don’t do it.”_

_“I hate myself,” she cried as she firmly grasped her sword. “Why do I even think that I should exist here if I’m just a worthless clone?!”_

_“Fuck anyone who dares say that,” the mage resentfully responded. “They are nothing but insecure losers who can’t be as great as you are.”_

_“Lies,” the Ylissean princess was still tearing up from her self-loathing. “Everyone here hates me because I’m not an original fighter. They think I’m some slut who slept her way to be invited into this competition. As much as I know that isn’t true, I can’t accept the fact that I belong here.”_

_“You DO belong here, Lucy!” She tried everything to give loving support to her best friend. “The Hero-King is your ancestor for Naga’s sake! He praises you for doing everything you did to save your bad future. My brother loved you for who you are. I am your best friend for a reason. It was because of you. You showed me how you are willing to go to help out others and prove how much you care about others. Lucina, you influence others where everyone becomes a better person or is happier. Don’t listen to those ignorant morons who can’t understand a single damn thing about you. You have a reason to live. You have to experience the spirit of the Smash competition, finding someone who you can spend your life with, and even change how people see you. I know this hurts you but everyone that cares about you doesn’t want you to suffer like this. Lucy, please don’t do this.”_

_Lucina then dropped her Falchion and ran to Robin. She tightly hugged her and had burst into tears. The female tactician embraced and rubbed Lucina’s back. The mage could just hear the pain coming from her sobs. It was too much to take in, so she shed some tears._

_“I will always be a clone. They taught me to hate myself.”_

_“No, Lucina. You surround yourself with people who care and love you. Those are the people who teach you to love yourself.”_

_Lucina continued to cry. Robin had all the time she needed to comfort her best friend._

“Robin,” Dark Pit felt terrible for learning why his lady despised the word, clone, in the first place. “I didn’t realize it was that bad.”

“You now know,” her voice was shaking before the memory of that incident took over her mind. “You know why I cannot stand that word.”

“I do,” he said before trying to come up with something else to help ease her emotions. “I can never know how Lucina went through that.”

“She almost committed suicide right in front of my own eyes!” She vociferously shouted, trying to repress the tears coming from her eyes. “People have no idea how words can mentally fuck up someone, especially with such demeaning and cruel slurs. They think it’s just a word. No, words have power over people. It meant for Lucina to hate herself for being here in this Smash competition. They made her think she’s nothing to anyone. She isn’t some heartless object. Lucina’s human! She has feelings and clearly, she couldn’t cope every day knowing that she thinks she’s nothing. It drove to that! How can people not understand the actions they do?! I.. I just can’t,” Robin placed her head on Dark Pit’s left shoulder.

“There will be people who can never understand that words can hurt people. Just toughing up means nothing when it can mentally damage someone to a point where they would inflict harm on themselves,” his words resonated to what his girlfriend was feeling. Her head nudged a little closer to him, signaling that he was on the right track. “I don’t know how I can do it. No, I emphasize with Lucina but I cannot be in her shoes after being insulted and harassed to that degree because of her label.”

“Look at her now,” something told the dark angel that Robin was going to feel better. “She managed to make positive influences on others who once saw her as a clone, at least the ones who were genuinely sorry about their behavior. Lucina is now in the finals of a major tournament. But the most important one is that Lucy is in love with Palutena, the one who always can put a smile on her face.”

“Look at you, geeking out over your friend’s relationship with a goddess,” he smirked to lighten the mood, which made Robin chuckle. “Lucina is a lot stronger than I thought.”

“She truly is,” Robin then rotated her body, so she was facing the black angel.

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Just sit and talk.”

At the training facility, the swordswoman entered inside expecting to see her goddess waiting for her. She saw no one except herself. Lucina thought that she arrived too early for her meeting appointment with Palutena. She scoped the entire facility but to no avail. Did the swordswoman misunderstand the time she was supposed to meet with her woman? It was then when Lucina felt hands that were not hers.

The bluenette gasped and jumped from the scare. She turned to see who was touching her; it was her goddess.

“Palutena!” Lucina shouted, standing up erect and blushing from the greenette’s playful actions. Her face showed embarrassment. “Stop scaring me like that!”

“I’m sorry,” she playfully apologized as her smirk showed that she was not done teasing her woman. “I didn’t realize you blush whenever I sneak up to touch your butt.”

Lucina’s face was even redder. “Stop messing with my head. Can we just get on with our training?”

“Of course,” this time the greenette meant it. She had no more intentions of playing around with her swordswoman. However, she did have something else to say. “Lucina, I did invite two other people to help us for the final.”

“Who did you invite?” Lucina asked before Palutena signaled the two people to enter the training facility. The bluenette did not expect to see a white angel and her former partner were the ones that her goddess invited. “Pit and Avatar? You two are going to train with us?”

“Yeah!” Pit cheerfully said as he was exuberant to help his goddess and her girlfriend to help them win the tournament. “Lady Palutena thought it was a good idea for us to warm you two up for the biggest tournament.”

“That’s wonderful,” the bluenette responded with a smile, not minding the fact that Pit and the male Robin were going to spar with her and Palutena. “It’s helpful that we get help from friends.”

“Let’s get right into it,” the goddess said as she was inputting codes into a system for their training. “Since it’s just the four of us, we’ll start in Battlefield.”

“Isn’t the final going to take place in Battlefield?” The male tactician asked since he was certain that the championship game was going to take place at that particular stage.

“I think you’re right,” Palutena realized her stage choice was the only logical option to go train in. Once everything was ready for simulation, the greenette turned to everyone. “The teams should be obvious: Lucina and I against Pit and Avatar.”

“Don’t hold back against me, Lady Palutena,” Pit teased his goddess as he wanted to give his all against her and the swordswoman.

“Oh, I won’t Pit,” she played along with her angel.

“Let’s see how much you’ve grown Lucina,” the mage said as he cracked a smile, prepared to analyze his former partner’s individual combat and teamwork.

“I will not disappoint,” Lucina showed the determination that she had drastically improved during her time in Smash.

All four teleported to the stage of Battlefield. Palutena was on the left platform while Lucina was on the ground level of the stage. Avatar stood on the right platform and Pit was on the highest girder.

Their practice session began. The tactician held out his tome while turning his body away to charge up his Thunder spell. The bluenette quickly leaped towards him to swing her Falchion downward. However, the white angel struck Lucina from the back with a double reverse grip of his blade version of Palutena’s Bow. After she got hit, Avatar grabbed his former partner and had cast two small magic blasts for more damage. Palutena telekinetically spun her staff around herself to hit Pit. She drifted forward so she could help her teammate. However, the mage magically shoved Lucina to Pit who was sent back by the goddess. Palutena focused on the tactician, so she struck him with her blue shield. The white angel managed to convert off of his partner’s throw by lunging forward to execute a buzzsaw-like series of slashes. The greenette then flew towards Pit to interrupt the combo. However, the tactician had charged his tome a little longer before accurately shooting her with his Elthunder. The stun stopped where she was for a split second. Strangely, it was enough time for the white angel to repeat the same move he did with Lucina. The bluenette then was caught in the Avatar’s Arcfire. As she tried to escape, she was met with an inward swing of his Levin Sword. The greenette also got hit with the same swing after getting hit by Pit. The white angel finished the combo with an overhead, buzzsaw-like series of slashes. As both women tried to find a way to land, Pit and Avatar quickly placed themselves on the top platform and the ground stage to cover most options they would go for.

“Since when did they have chemistry?” Lucina questioned as she drifting down to find a perfect spot to land.

“No time to ask,” Palutena responded as she went for the ledge to guarantee safety at the cost of being potentially trapped at the ledge. The white angel ran close to the edge where his goddess was, making him ready for her to act.

The swordswoman attempted to land on the right platform but the mage was ready to keep Lucina in the air with his Levin Sword. However, the Ylissean princess escaped at the right moment and in the right position and landed on the ground level. As the mage missed with his attack, the bluenette did a back-flipping, upward arcing slash to keep him in the air. However, the tactician jumped away back to the top platform to keep out of his former partner’s range. Lucina then quickly ran to Pit was still waiting for his goddess to get off of the ledge. He was not prepared to get grabbed by the swordswoman. That was the moment for Palutena to get back on the stage. The mage immediately made his way to the left platform for a surprise attack on the greenette. He did not expect to be struck by a cyan beam that she conjured up from the ground. While he and Pit were in the air, Lucina quickly leaped towards them and rotated her body to perform an upward slash behind her back. It pushed them off the stage but not far enough to keep them there. Pit flew towards the top platform while the tactician went for the ledge. Palutena kept herself at the edge of the stage to prevent any surprise attacks from him. Meanwhile, the bluenette managed to catch Pit’s landing with an inward horizontal slash followed by a spinning outward horizontal slash.

Pit saw himself standing on the right side of the Battlefield as Lucina ran towards him. He took a step forward before seeing the bluenette leaping for an attack. Next, he jumped as well to lunge a series of buzzsaw-like slashes. However, the swordswoman quickly landed and was under him. She had thrust her Falchion through him, sending him upward. After striking, Lucina saw herself being surrounded by a purple veil. It was Nosferatu. Her damage intake increased as Avatar’s damage intake decreased. It was short-lived as Palutena slammed him with her blue shield. Lucina attempted to follow up by an upward slash behind her body. However, Pit drifted above the swordswoman and slashed in a downward arc while reverse gripping his blades. The attack did not send her downward but sent her further away from the stage. The mage saw that Lucina was behind him and close enough for him to attack. He then swung his Levin sword with a backward thrust. Its power was enough for the bluenette to lose her first life.

Because both men attacked the Ylissean princess, Palutena slammed them both with her blue shield, but it only sent them further away from the stage. Pit drifted and positioned himself where he was just straight up vertical from the ledge. Avatar was also trying to follow where his teammate went. However, Pit had used the Power of Flight while the Avatar executed his Elwind to grab the ledge. Because they both grabbed at nearly the same time, Pit was forced off the ledge, making him vulnerable for a quick second. Palutena then performed a downward roundhouse kick to send the white angel to the bottom of the stage where he lost his first life.

As the tactician was holding at the ledge, Lucina and Pit returned to the stage. They were going to fight one-on-one against each other. Avatar jumped from the ledge before getting hit with Palutena’s halo. As she descended downward, the white angel flew towards his goddess to perform a dashing uppercut with his Upperdash Arm. The knockback sent her at an acute angle. The mage drifted towards the greenette before swing at her in an upward overhead arc. The power of his Levin sword was strong enough for the goddess to lose her first life. Lucina hurriedly leaped towards Pit and slashed him in a downward arc. The reward for the risk was low because the bluenette then got hit by the tactician’s own downward, vertical slash. Although she just came back, it was a perfect time for Lucina to punish him for using that move. His momentum was pushing him towards the left side of the platform, which she landed as well. Since there was no way he could escape, Lucina had thrust her blade over her head, strong enough to take his first life.

The bluenette continued to extend her attack on Pit with an inward horizontal slash that was followed up with a spinning, outward slash. Realizing that she was in danger of getting sent offstage, the swordswoman drifted back to the left platform to keep her distance. Pit landed behind the ledge before facing both Palutena and Lucina. However, the Avatar returned and had cast Arcfire at the Ylissean princess. As he approached her, the greenette telekinetically spun her staff to push him off. Pit instinctively jumped on the left platform to grab Lucina who was trapped in Avatar’s fire spell. He then pinned her to the ground before slashing her back. His next follow up was a lunging buzzsaw-like series of slashes. Palutena, after successfully pushing the tactician back, tried to attack Pit with her flying kick. However, Pit meticulously dodged the attack and landed on the left platform. He saw that his goddess tried to roundhouse kick him, so he shielded the attack at the right time before grabbing her. He repeated the same throw as he did with Lucina before performing a series of buzzsaw-like slashes over his head. Meanwhile, the Avatar wrapped the bluenette with his whirling stream of magic. He then gave several small bursts of magic before magically shoving her forward in order for Pit to successfully chain the attack on both women.

This time, Palutena and Lucina drifted in opposite directions so that they would not suffer more team combos. The goddess went offstage, hoping Pit would chase after her. Fortunately, he did. The white angel tried to lunge forward for his buzzsaw slashes to connect. However, the greenette dipped below him and struck back with her blue shield. She then disappeared and reappeared, holding onto the ledge. As Pit tried to soar above the stage with his Power of Flight, Palutena jumped from the ledge to catch his recovery with another roundhouse kick. It sent him below the stage but was not strong enough for an early win. Pit repeated to flew again and successfully grabbed the ledge. The greenette then tried to predict what he would do. As a result, she kept her distance from the edge of the stage. She saw him getting on the stage, so she conjured her ethereal wings before flapping them forward. However, she guessed wrong. Pit rolled back onto the stage and was behind her. Vulnerable for an attack, the white angel reverse gripped his blades to slash inward with one of them. Next, it then reassembled into Palutena’s Bow before executing an outward slash with it.

Lucina turned around and ran towards the white angel to grab him with her left hand. After two knee strikes, she tossed himself behind her. The tactician ran past Pit and had cast his Arcfire once again. Knowing that he would do that, the bluenette charged towards him for a lunging outward slash. Palutena then leaped onto the left platform before jumping again. One surprise tactic she decided to do was jumping forward before warping to the right end of the right platform. The distance was perfect that she fell above them without their knowledge. Palutena struck them with her blue shield. Their knockback was moving them closer to the bluenette. Lucina then attacked by a lunging upward slash. The goddess then followed their knockback and kicked them back to her girlfriend. The swordswoman rotated her body before swinging her Falchion behind her. The goddess did another flying kick but drifted back after she executed it. Lucina knew where this going so she rotated her body to perform a charged lunging downward slash. They were sent a bit higher at the height of the highest platform. The greenette was above them as they were all offstage. She performed a downward roundhouse kick, which sent them down. Both Pit and Avatar recovered by flying and using Elwind, respectively. It was the wrong time to do as they were hit by another roundhouse kick by Palutena, ending their final lives.

They all had returned to the simulation arena. A hard fought battle where Palutena and Lucina emerged as victors.

“Very impressive,” the Avatar applauded both women by clapping his hands for their fine teamwork. “I thought we took you two by surprise in the beginning, but then you both put us in your team combinations. It just astonished me as to how well synergetic you two are.”

“It’s one of our strongest suits as a team,” the greenette explained. “We just know what to do at certain times. It usually leads into us in a huge lead.”

“It was amazing, Lady Palutena!” Pit cheered as he was captivated by the amazing chemistry between his goddess and her lover. “I don’t how you two could capitalize on something without even communicating.”

“Like I said before,” Palutena giggled as her angel’s cheerful attitude. “Lucina and I know how to make something big from a little interaction.”

“It’s a strange phenomenon,” Lucina tried not to downplay their teamwork as harshly as she did. “I get this feeling where Palutena was going to be where I want her to be.”

“You know,” the tactician intervened. “Because you two are a couple, you know each other well enough to a point where you instinctively know where to go. No wonder why I feel trapped whenever you two have this spectacular teamwork.”

Both Palutena and Lucina appreciated the kind words they got from Pit and Avatar. They then spent more time warming up their teamwork, which both teams had won matches. The times where the women lost, they had reviewed and analyzed what went wrong and what they could do to improve on them. The information they received was very helpful as Palutena and Lucina implemented their solutions into practice. It was stunning how they managed to overcome it in a short period of time. Pit and Avatar were convinced that the goddess and the swordswoman were going to win the tournament.

Their training session was over. As they packed up to leave, another team came in to practice for the final as well. It was a blonde Hylian and a Star Warrior. The vibe started to make the environment feel tenser. Link greeted everyone before setting up him and his teammate’s practice set up. The Star Warrior greeted only to Pit and Avatar in a welcoming tone before seeing Lucina and Palutena. However, Pit and the Avatar had to leave, so they made their goodbyes to both women.

“Lady Lucina and Palutena,” Meta Knight said as he was not looking at them. “I see you two were training.”

“We did,” the bluenette controlled the conversation, signaling to her goddess that she should handle it. “We are finished for today so have a good practice before the finals.”

Meta Knight was silent for a split second before walking a couple of steps away from them. The feeling Lucina was getting from him was disdain for her and Palutena. “We will meet in the final. If you lose, just don’t let it disrupt your relationship with her.”

Palutena and Lucina said nothing and exited the training facility. The bluenette could tell that the greenette did not like the warrior’s tone at all.

“I didn’t like how he made a joke that losing will break us up at all,” she said upsettingly.

“Don’t listen to him,” the Ylissean princess tried to comfort her woman by hugging the side of her body. “He just doesn’t understand what we have. He can’t accept that fact. It shouldn’t get to your head.”

“I know,” the goddess wrapped her left arm around Lucina who was still hugging her from the side. “We’ll show him what we can do.”

They had spent the rest of the day together with Robin and Dark Pit walking around in the city. It was not technically a double date because they all did not consider it that. Instead, it was just a casual meeting with friends and lovers. They had lunch at a seafood restaurant. Most of their talk pertained to the tournament and what their lives would be like afterward. The discussion had given Lucina thoughts about her future with Palutena. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was not bleak. The bluenette knew that she wanted to be with her, but she needed more time to find out if she was ready to ask a particular question. After spending the afternoon in the city, they returned to the mansion to play billiards in the lounge room. Several hours later, it was dusk. The game of pool ended up with both teams winning some games. For dinner, they decided to make sandwiches enough for them all to eat. Once it was time to rest up for the night, Robin and Dark Pit parted ways to Palutena and Lucina. On the third floor, both women were at the front door of the bluenette’s room.

“Today was a fun day,” the greenette said as she stretched her arms outward, ready to go to sleep.

“It really was,” the Ylissean princess agreed, smiling at the relaxing, enjoyable time with her woman and friends. It had lessened up her stresses on the tournament. “We have to resume our training tomorrow for the finals the day after.”

“That’s right,” Palutena said contently before feeling nervous asking her swordswoman a particular question.

“Palutena,” Lucina asked in a worried tone after reading her facial expression. “Is there something wrong?”

“Oh, no,” she played it off as it was not a big deal when it was for her. Soon, the goddess had the courage to speak what was on her mind. “Lucina, do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow, after training?”

She was surprised yet confused because the greenette’s nervousness was caused by asking her girlfriend out on a date.  “Of course! That’s not even a question. Why did you ask that?”

“I want to make sure so that I don’t want to disappoint you,” she reasoned because she still had the feeling of going through another disruption of the relationship with her swordswoman. “If this date doesn’t go well, I’m afraid that you and I won’t be together for long.”

“That’s absurd,” the bluenette thought the goddess’s reason was outrageous, prompting her to convince the greenette that her reasoning was wrong. She wrapped her arms around the goddess’s neck. “I got back with you for a reason. I wanted to be with you for a reason. You wanted to prove our love, and I want to do the same as well. Don’t doubt yourself that this won’t work out. It will because we made a promise to tell each other what’s on our minds.”

“Lucina,” Palutena was moved that Lucina wanted their keep the relationship strong. It made her realize that she was overthinking things too much. She placed her hands on her woman’s hips. “I’m so lucky to have a woman as amazing as you.”

“I’m glad I met you,” the Ylissean princess’s face reddened and smiled at the sweet moment between the two. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

“A night just between us, I look forward to it,” both women decided to break their tender moment before Lucina opened her door.

“Goodnight, Palutena,” the bluenette turned to her goddess.

“Goodnight, my princess.”


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Samus and Zelda had intense training in the past couple of days. The Hylian followed the bounty hunter’s training regimen whenever Samus was preparing for a tournament. They would begin their training early morning and continue on until it was lunch time. After their meal break, they next proceeded to analyze their opponents for the finals. Even though the final was tomorrow, both women had to be on top of their game. Their morning routines started out with simulations against all finalists. They were comfortable with how they were fighting. Samus knew that going hard on the day before the competition was not ideal, so she merely did test runs before concluding their physical training for that day. Both went out to get lunch in the city before returning to the mansion to rest up for the big day tomorrow.

“Samus,” Zelda said as she turned to face her girlfriend.

“Something wrong, Zelda?” Her tone showed concern, and her facial expression also reflected it because she read the Hylian’s body language.

“I’m nervous about tomorrow,” the brunette admitted, feeling a bit insecure about the championship match. She was not expressing confidence or hopeful about it.

“You were fine during all of our training in the last couple of days,” the blonde reasoned with a rebuttal, thinking that her princess’s statement seemed abnormal. At the same time, she also understood what she was feeling. “Although you look troubled, you can tell me something on your mind.”

“It’s just that,” she began before taking a deep breath. “All of this hard work and we don’t win the match, I don’t want all that work to be wasted.”

Samus chuckled not because Zelda’s worries were silly but because she thought it was not a big deal.

“What’s so funny?” She felt irked, believing that her woman was laughing at her.

“You’re overreacting to this,” the blonde casually replied before walking up close to her. “You can do so much when it comes to training, but when it comes to the actual competition, it’s different.”

“Easy for you to say,” she talked back as she turned her head away from Samus. “You’re one of the best fighters out here. Even without the training, you can still fight better than I do.”

The bounty hunter got irritated by her princess’s self-doubt as she closed her eyes and sighed. She then placed her two fingers on Zelda’s chin and moved her face, so they can look at each other. Zelda’s face reddened as her face was extremely close to her woman.

“How many times do I have to tell you to not be hard on yourself at every single thing? Sure we may not win the final tomorrow, but our journey there was magnificent. We were prepared for everything that was ahead of us. We were at the top of the tournament throughout. And,” she then planted a short, sweet kiss to Zelda. “I get to be with the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in my life. Losing the tournament tomorrow doesn’t mean anything as long as I get still date my girlfriend.”

Zelda could not help but blush at the fact that Samus had managed to say those words so easily. She never thought that losing a tournament was not going to bring Samus down because she only cared about the relationship with her. The Hylian sheepishly giggled before covering her reddened face with her hands.

“Are you only saying that because we’re dating?” The brunette was still skeptical because she still thought it was a cop-out answer.

“I can’t understand you sometimes,” the blonde bluntly said, knowing full well that that would upset the princess. Zelda’s expression became disgruntled. “I will say this. Everything I say to you is absolutely honest in my heart. There is nothing I am hiding from you. What I said is true. Losing a tournament isn’t going to weigh me down. What does is our relationship. You’re one of the fewest people I’ve had a real relationship. I lost Adam who sacrificed himself to save me. I can’t lose you either.”

Zelda had water running down her eyes, feeling touched by the genuine words that the bounty hunter had said to her. She embraced her woman because she felt bad that her uncertainty was making Samus upset. “I’m sorry for being insecure. My nervousness makes me lose confidence and doubt that I can defy the odds.”

“You won’t know until you take that chance.”

“You’re amazing, Samus, a bounty hunter who has a soft spot for her girlfriend.”

Samus blushed but tried to brush it off by acting cool. Zelda knew that the blonde managed to make her feel a bit sheepish. The brunette continued to make her feel like that by moving her right hand across the blonde’s entire upper body. The bounty hunter felt shivers from the sensual touch that Zelda was doing.

“You’re making me feel so,” Samus moaned as her eyes closed from Zelda’s touch.

“You’ve given me so much,” the Hylian said in a sultry tone before placing her same hand on Samus’s face. She leaned close to where their lips were close to contacting each other. “Now I have to give you more.”

Samus’s heart pounded faster along with the increase in the temperature of her body. Before she knew, Zelda initiated the kiss. It felt pure and sweet for the blonde. She then wrapped the princess’s upper body with her arms and continued to kiss her back. There were times that Samus wondered how she managed to be with Zelda all this time. Right now, it did not matter to her because she was experiencing another magical kiss from her woman before they broke off the kiss.

“I’m assuming you feel better now,” the blonde smirked before seeing her woman nod. “As I said before, you are the most important one to me, not the tournament. Don’t ever forget that.”

“Never.”

As they were finishing up their last day of training, Palutena and Lucina were ready for one last training session before getting ready for their date tonight. Rather than using simulation, they asked Robin, Avatar, Pit, and Dark Pit to assist them in polishing up on their fighting. They had spent hours on practicing many aspects of team battles: synergy, helping each other out, and team combos. So far, the goddess and the swordswoman managed to defeat both teams of Robin, Dark Pit, and Avatar, Pit. What made both women so daunting for the others were several things. The first was their synergy. Whenever there was an opening, Palutena would initiate the team combo. Lucina would then follow up. Sometimes, one opportunity would lead to devastating damage or even taking a life from one of the fighters. They somehow found a way to push their advantage without getting interrupted. The other reason was how well both women were able to break away from other team combinations. For instance, when Palutena was stuck in a combo by Pit and Avatar, Lucina would intervene and slash Pit away. Even when they stop the chain, they somehow managed to turn the tides in their favor. Another detail that others might have missed was how both women were willing to take damage for each other. For example, during one of their sessions, Lucina would act as a shield when Robin began her team combination with Dark Pit. The bluenette would try to take the hit instead of Palutena, but sometimes they both end up caught in the combo. Although it was not in their favor, Palutena and Lucina still managed to pull off their wins. Robin took notice of how the Ylissean princess did her best to protect Palutena at all costs at the expense of her own stock.

In the end, their final training session had ended. It was late in the afternoon with the sun slowly approaching to dusk. The goddess was ready to get dressed for her date with the swordswoman. Lucina was excited as well but felt anxious at the same time. She was worried that the date may hinder her performance for the final tomorrow. Even though the bluenette did not want to feel that way, she could not help it. The thought scared her. Was this date going to be the reason why they will not win the title? Is this the turning point of their relationship? Only time will tell.

“Lucina,” Palutena called to her swordswoman.

“What is it, Palutena?” The bluenette replied, turning to face the green-haired goddess.

“I can’t wait for tonight. I’ll see you in a bit,” she waved a goodbye before walking upstairs to her room with Pit and Dark Pit.

“Aw, my Lucy is going on a date with Palutena,” Robin cooed in a playful tone as she hugged her friend from the side.

“I am,” she smiled at the fact that she is going on a date with her goddess.

“Well, you should get dressed up,” the tactician smirked before escorting Lucina to her room. “You don’t want to be late.”

Lucina’s had the same dimensional size as all other competitors. The living room had the necessity of black couches and a television. Her decorations were simple: blue and black paint that covered the walls and ceiling to match her outfit. She had portraits of her home surrounding the entire common area. Inside her bedroom, the wall color was the same as the living room. Above her bed, there were hooked nails where she would place her Parallel Falchion. The night desk on the left of her bed had a picture of her father. On the right side of the bed showed a chair with a desk and mirror for Lucina to either study or comb her hair before heading out. Robin had sat down on the side of the bed before Lucina went to her closet to find the appropriate attire for her date tonight.

“So what are you going to wear tonight, Lucy?” Robin inquired as she combed her hair with her hands. She was able to see the mirror from where she sat at.

“I’m not sure,” the bluenette responded as she continued to stare at the many clothes she had hanging in her closet. “I was not planning on wearing formal clothing.”

“You should go for more of a casual look but not too casual,” she suggested.

“I don’t know what that means but I’ll find the most appropriate outfit,” the swordswoman was confused since the tactician used a word twice in a sentence that was hard to comprehend. After searching through her closet, Lucina believed she found the outfit she was going to wear for tonight. She went to the restroom to change before coming out. The bluenette wore a slightly dark blue effortless long sleeve top with a surplice neckline while wearing black pants. Lucina had black loafers and was ready for her date.

“Mmm,” Robin purred at her friend’s outfit. “Looking cute.”

“Thanks,” she grinned before sitting down at her desk, so Robin could put the final touches on her hair. “I’m a bit nervous, Robin.”

“Why is that?” The tactician curiously inquired as she gently combed Lucina’s blue hair. “Is it because of the tournament tomorrow?”

“In a way,” she had a hard time trying to explain her feelings.

“How so?”

Lucina had to gather her final thoughts before speaking out. “I have this strange feeling that going on a date with Palutena the night before seems not the best idea. The-“

“You’re already speaking nonsense,” Robin interrupted, shaking her head at the fact that she thought her friend was overreacting a bit. “Are you saying that this date may influence how you’ll do tomorrow?”

“Yes,” she sadly admitted. “I don’t want this date to be the reason why we lose the tournament tomorrow. I can’t risk hurting my relationship with Palutena again.”

“Lucy,” the mage stopped combed before placing her hands on Lucina’s shoulders, easing her tense body. “I think you’re stressing out about this tournament.”

“Am I really?”

“From what I’m hearing, you are,” Robin massaged the bluenette’s shoulders, making Lucina feel much better physically. “I understand why you want to win this tournament. I know your reasons behind them. First, I respect your motive because people can see that you’re much more than that disgusting word. Second, your will to achieve that goal has put you into too much stress. Maybe this date would alleviate that stress for you for tomorrow. Palutena probably wants to have a wonderful night with you. I want you to just live in the moment for now. Lucy, for tonight, you should not think about the tournament tomorrow and just have fun with your girlfriend.”

The tactician’s words helped Lucina make things more sensible. Lucina was extremely focused on winning the championship and achieving her goals, which damaged her mentality as a result of it. This date was the only way for the bluenette to calm her psyche down.

“You’re right, Robin,” Lucina had smiled because she felt better after talking to her best friend about her problem. “I will refrain myself from worrying about the tournament tomorrow. Right now, I want to go out with Palutena.”

“That’s my Lucy,” the mage quickly hugged her best friend before finishing up stylizing the swordswoman’s hair. “There. You look great.”

“Thank you for helping out.”

“Anytime, Lucy,” Robin said before noticing a drawer on the top right corner of Lucina’s desk. She quickly gazed at them by not shifting her head. There was a lock on it, reaching the conclusion that it was something personal that the bluenette was concealing from everyone. The problem was that it was not locked properly, so it was an opportunity for her to see what Lucina hiding from her best friend was. “Hey, Lucy. So… what are you hiding from me?”

“I don’t follow,” she first replied before realizing that her private drawer was not locked properly. She panicked but remained calm. “You don’t need to know.”

“I’m just curious,” Robin tried to open the drawer before Lucina pushed the drawer back into its original position. “It’s not like I’m going to tell anybody. Can’t I take a peek?”

“No, Robin,” Lucina said a bit louder, disliking that the mage was invading something she wanted to be kept hidden. “I can’t show it to you.”

“At all? Why?”

“Not at this time,” Lucina clarified before Robin conceded defeat. “When the time is right, I’ll show you what it is.”

“Fine,” the tactician realized that she was pushing the boundary, so she was willing to wait until the swordswoman told her. She looked at the time and realized that it was time for Lucina to head over to Palutena’s room. “Anyways, I’ll leave you be. Have fun on your date with your girlfriend.”

“Thank you, Robin,” Lucina waved her friend goodbye before looking at the mirror. She took a deep breath. After Robin closed the door, Lucina opened her private drawer. Inside was a small cubical container. Upon opening the container was a ten-carat yellow gold round ring with three red ruby diamonds on top surrounded by emerald diamonds resembling a crown. “You’ll be the second person to see the ring, Robin. Palutena will be the first.”

“I wonder what Lucy is hiding from me,” Robin mused as she was walking downstairs to meet with Dark Pit. Her curiosity was getting stronger. Right now, she would have to find out later.

_Several days ago after the All-Star round was finished._

_It was fairly early in the morning between midmorning and noon. Many Smashers were awake and had breakfast or brunch while relaxing at the common area. The competitors were also in the same group except for Samus and Zelda who were training for the final. It was a calm morning for them to say the least. Lucina, on the other hand, had an important meeting to attend to alone. Her expression showed ambiguity. On the outside, she had her normal expression, which others had difficulty deciphering her feelings. In her mind, Lucina felt stress and nervousness. She had spent large amounts of Smash coins on this particular item and wished it would be used. If not, she would feel her heart break into a million pieces._

_Lucina arrived at the city. It took her some time to walk around the streets and districts of the urbanized area to locate her destination. Soon stood a fairly known jewelry store just east of the center of the city, the bluenette took a deep breath before stepping into the eloquent store._

_“Ah, Lucina, I was expecting your arrival,” the owner of the jewelry store walked up to the swordswoman as she was the only person in the store._

_“Mrs. Westfield,” the Ylissean bowed and shook the owner’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking your time to schedule an appointment with me.”_

_“It is my pleasure,” the elder woman grinned at Lucina’s formality. “I can never deny an appointment for this occasion.”_

_She led the bluenette to the front counter where there were many expensive rings, earrings, and necklaces. The variety of the accessories had diamonds with different amount of carats. The owner walked behind the glass counter while Lucina was across from her._

_“I just need to see your receipt, so I can see the confirmation number.”_

_“Of course,” Lucina had the paper receipt on the brown pauldron of her armor. She handed it to the owner._

_“Great, I’ll be right back,” Mrs. Westfield walked into the back room where special orders were kept. As Lucina waited, she looked around the store and was amazed how much accessories the owner was able to obtain. She mused how the elder woman was able to afford and purchase such items. That thought had to wait as she came back. The owner held a small cubical container and placed the box on the counter. “I believe this is  your ring.”_

_The Ylissean picked up the container and slowly opened the item she had ordered. It was_ _a ten-carat yellow gold round ring with three red ruby diamonds on top surrounded by emerald diamonds resembling a crown. Lucina could not believe how elegant and gorgeous the ring was. The colors she chose were because of Palutena. Her favorite color was red. She was also a green-haired goddess with green eyes. There was some thought behind the reason for Lucina’s choice of colors._

_“It’s magnificent,” the swordswoman said as she was mesmerized by the design of the ring._

_“It’s my specialty,” Mrs. Westfield humorously boasted as she placed her hands on her hips. “You definitely like my work, don’t you?”_

_“You are naturally talented at your work,” Lucina complimented the owner for the fine crafting of the ring. “I love it.”_

_“Your words do warm my old heart,” she felt a little blush since it was a while since she received a genuine compliment from someone. “He is such a lucky guy to have someone like you.”_

_“I beg your pardon?” The bluenette looked at Mrs. Westfield, furrowing her eyes in confusion from her statement._

_“I’m happy that you’re going to spend your life with that Meta Knight. You two are quite the combination.”_

_“Oh, no, no, no” Lucina felt disgusted by the thought of sharing her life with the Star Warrior after he declared how he truly felt about her. “You must be mistaken. I’m not asking him.”_

_“I swore it was him,” the owner tilted her head in confusion, realizing that she was wrong about Lucina and Meta Knight. “I’ve seen you two together around this city a lot, so I assumed you two were dating. I do apologize for assuming it was him.”_

_“It’s not a ‘him’,” Mrs. Westfield took some time before she understood what the swordswoman meant. “It’s for a woman, a goddess.”_

_“Is it that green-haired goddess in the competition?”_

_Lucina nodded to confirm the owner’s question._

_“Well, I’ll be,” the owner was still happy for the Ylissean. “It makes sense now with your ring’s color.”_

_“Before I forget,” Lucina gave the owner the exact amount of Smash coins for the ring, which came out to be 10,000G._

_“Ah, yes, another fine service for a fine lady,” she took the coins and placed them in a safe before coming back to the front. “Lucina, I’m really happy for you. Granted, you’re going to propose a goddess for a hand in marriage. However, I’m in no objection to your choice. If you two love each other, then go for it.”_

_“Thank you, Mrs. Westfield,” Lucina made sure the box was secured on her belt. “I know I’m making the right decision.”_

_“If I may ask, when did you want to ask her hand in marriage?”_

_“After we shared our first kiss,” the bluenette confessed. It brought back the memories when she and Palutena were training behind the mansion gardens and shared their first kiss together. “Then, we broke up. I tried to move on by pursuing a relationship with Meta Knight, but I only ended up not having any feelings for him. When I got back together with Palutena, I felt the same passion and love again. It never dims. It gets stronger. That’s when I realized that I wanted to propose her.”_

_“Aw,” the owner placed both hands on her chest, feeling a bit emotional to hear Lucina’s love for Palutena. “That’s so cute and adorable.”_

_They both smiled. Lucina could not help but grin brightly at the thought of marrying Palutena. It felt like a fantasy soon to become a reality. Afterward, the bluenette noticed that she had another appointment coming up._

_“I have to head back,” she noticed that she had to train for the final. “Thank you once again for the ring, Mrs. Westfield. I bid you farewell.”_

_“Win that tournament,” the owner said before Lucina walked out. Before the bluenette did, Mrs. Westfield had one more thing to say. “I know she’ll say yes to you, Lucina.”_

_Lucina could not help but smile. She stepped out of the store and returned to the mansion._

“Pit, Pittoo,” the goddess frantically walked around her room with her two angels who were sitting on her bed. Palutena was stressing out, but it was not about the tournament. Her hands covered her mouth to show how anxious she was. “I’m so nervous about this date tonight.”

“You shouldn’t be nervous, Lady Palutena,” Pit tried to cheer up his goddess. “You and Lucina got back together. Going out with her shouldn’t be too bad.”

“It’s not that, Pit,” Palutena sat at her desk, combing her hair and lashing her eyebrows. “I don’t want to mess up this date with Lucina. Even though we’re together again, I’m afraid I’m going to mess up everything up again.”

“Well, Pit isn’t going to freak out again,” Dark Pit joked to lighten the mood the greenette was feeling.

“You’re not helping, Pittoo,” she scolded him for making a bad joke. “I have to make sure Lucina and I don’t break up again.”

“Lady Palutena,” the white angel placed his hands on his goddess’s shoulders. She could see Pit’s eyes through the mirror. He showed that he was determined to ensure that his goddess was still happy with the swordswoman. “Please don’t feel so bad about yourself. Lucina is lucky to be with the most beautiful goddess to ever exist. No one else could feel the love that you have for her. Lucina is not going to care if the date becomes weird or not. All she cares about is spending time with her girlfriend. Who knows? Maybe Lucina can be my sister-in-law!”

“Pit!” Palutena’s face was beaming with redness at the last statement her angel had said. She stood up with her stiff arms and fists on her sides. “Now it isn’t the time to say such things!”

Dark Pit merely laughed at the greenette’s reaction to Pit’s latter words, which he ended up getting cold stares from both Pit and Palutena. The dark angel then had a serious tone. “Hey, it’s still funny. As Pit mentioned before, you shouldn’t worry about risking your relationship with Lucina. She seems really happy that she got back with you. One awkward or bad date isn’t going to make it go down the drain. Besides, isn’t Lucina like overjoyed that you asked her out on a date? That’s already an indicator that your relationship is fine.”

Palutena recalled how excited her swordswoman was when she asked her out on a date the night before the final. She had that nice warm feeling inside her that made her blush a little. “I feel much better now. Thank you, Pit and Pittoo. What would I do without you two?”

“Don’t mention it,” the black angel turned his head away while crossing his arms. He shrugged it off like it was not much. “I feel somewhat the same way with Robin.”

“I want you to be happy, Lady Palutena,” Pit gave a bright smile to his goddess. “Lucina makes you happy, and I’m happy, too.”

Palutena felt like she wanted to cry but she did not. Instead, she embraced Pit as tight as she could. He felt warm from the hug. “I don’t know where I would be without you, Pit.”

“I’d be a different person, and I wouldn’t enjoy that as much.”

“Pit,” his doppelganger called. “We should get going. Your goddess has to get ready.”

“Lady Palutena, have fun on your date with Lucina!” The white angel optimistically said before waving her goodbye for the night.

“Thank you, Pit.” Palutena waved her two angels away before cleaning herself up one last time before heading out. Her outfit tonight was a light purple alternate outfit of her normal attire. She knew that tonight was not going to be formal, but Palutena wanted to wear something pretty to make it date appropriate.

Soon she heard a knock on her door. The rhythm of the knock was an indicator that it was Lucina. As the greenette got her money, phone, and keys, she stopped to look at a mirror. After checking her looks, she took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. Both women were stunned to see the outfits they wore.

“Lucina,” Palutena began as she closed the door behind her without looking because she wanted to keep her eyes at her girlfriend. “You look cute as always.”

“You always look heavenly, Palutena,” the bluenette’s response made the goddess giggle. Lucina simply grinned because she was going to spend a wonderful night with her lover.

“Lucina,” she got the attention of her swordswoman. “The City Mall has some new stores that opened. Let’s go there.”

“Of course,” before Lucina was going to walk, she felt Palutena’s arms lift her legs and back. The greenette lifted her bridal style, making the bluenette feel uncomfortable. Her face reddened. She felt the embarrassment from her goddess’s action. Lucina covered her face. “Palutena! Please let me go this instant!”

“I think my girlfriend has done a lot for me,” the greenette amused her bluenette. Her chuckle made Lucina more uncomfortable. “I figured you need some rest going to the city.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own,” the swordswoman revealed her face and wobbled around, trying to compel Palutena to let go of her. “Can you please let me go?”

“Aw, that’s no fun,” she continued to tease her, but Palutena gave what Lucina wanted.

“Thank you,” the bluenette tidied her clothes before staring at her goddess seriously. “Why do you have to do that?”

“I’m sorry,” Palutena had those thoughts again, which Lucina saw and felt bad. “I already messed up our date, didn’t I?”

“No, no, no,” Lucina hugged Palutena, regretting ever asking that question in an unappealing tone. “I didn’t mean to be mad at you. I just wasn’t used to being picked up like that. I still want to have our date. Don’t take my question seriously.”

“I don’t want to upset at you, Lucina,” she lifted her face. “I guess I tease you too much.”

“It’s fine,” the bluenette smiled genuinely. “I guess it’s been a while since you’ve teased me when we first started dating.”

“You’re going to have to get used to it.”

“Shall we head to the city Palutena?”

“Gladly.”


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

They walked their way to the city. At the center of the large urbanized area, there was a series of buildings surrounding a fountain, resembling the shape of the Smash Ball in the middle. The buildings were not necessarily connected to each other; they were adjacent to each other and covered a large perimeter of the city. Because several new stores were open, the mall of the city was going to be busy. That did not matter to Palutena and Lucina. They had all the time they need for tonight.

One of the first new stores they went to was a costume store. In that store, the entire outfits were impersonations of Smashers of their respective worlds along with some additional costumes not directly related to the competitors. For instance, Palutena and Lucina saw some costumes that were based off of power-ups from Mario’s universe. One of the costumes that the goddesses made the swordswoman wear was a Tanooki suit. It was obvious that Lucina felt odd about wearing it, but Palutena found it adorable.

“Lucina,” Palutena picked up the Tanooki suit that only had the ears and tail. “Wear it for me.”

“It looks like something Robin would wear,” the bluenette commented, hinting that she did not want to wear it.

“I think you’ll look so cute if you wear it,” the goddess pressed on because she wanted to see her swordswoman in a Tanooki suit.

“This is the part where I get teased again, isn’t it?” Lucina slightly smiled because she knew Palutena wanted to mess with her again.

“Not necessarily,” the greenette said suspiciously. “I’m curious if you could float after wearing it.”

“Funny,” Lucina deadpanned before conceding to her goddess’s plea. “I’ll admit it’s adorable.”

“Isn’t it?” She replied rhetorically.

Lucina wore the Tanooki much to the greenette’s dismay. At first, she felt uncomfortable because she was not sure if she should wear the suit in the store. Lucina thought that if she wore it, she had to pay which was not the case.

“Aw, you’re so cute,” Palutena played with the bluenette’s Tanooki ears. She smiled because she could never enough of how adorable Lucina could get. Lucina closed both of her eyes when her goddess played with her Tanooki ears. After realizing there was nothing to be ashamed of, she had slowly opened one of her eyes while expressing some concern. “Well, you can take it off if you want. That’s enough teasing for now.”

“For you.” Now it was the bluenette’s turn to mess around with her. She smirked because it was not payback for all the times she got messed with by Palutena. Lucina did not use the Tanooki suit. Instead, she chose a penguin suit also from the Mario universe. Palutena walking as a penguin made the swordswoman laugh a bit on the inside. “This is for you.”

“Me?” The goddess was a bit shocked that Lucina picked up a penguin suit for Palutena to wear. “I can’t look like that.”

“I wore a Tanooki suit because you wanted me to,” Lucina made a rebuttal. She was not going to give up on making her girlfriend wear a penguin suit. “Now you’re going to wear this penguin suit because I want you to.”

There was no escape for the greenette. She conceded and wore the penguin costume. Lucina could not help but laugh at the way Palutena looked. The goddess appeared to look silly and ridiculous because it was not a good match at all. It felt nice for Lucina to tease Palutena rather than the other way.

“Do you like being teased?” The bluenette had to take in this sweet moment. “This is what you do to me.”

“But you still like that I do that to you,” Palutena smirked, causing Lucina to blush slightly.

“You’re not wrong,” the bluenette’s hands were behind her back, and she kicked the ground with her right foot. “Hold on, you did not answer my question.”

“Almost,” the greenette swung her left flapper, signaling that she was close to escaping the question. “I like it sometimes as long it doesn’t involve personal or bad things that happened to me.”

“Fair point,” Lucina had her fun for now. “You can take off that penguin suit.”

“You got some ways to tease your girlfriend,” she praised her swordswoman, which surprised and bewildered Lucina. “I like that.”

“I wonder what other new stores they have.”

“Let’s find out.”

After some time messing around with the costume shop, they went to other new stores. The others were not as entertaining as the costume store until the last store they went to; it was a music store where people can buy, listen, and play music.

When they entered, the store was the largest they had visited as it had two floors. The first floor filled with albums and CDs of soundtracks from the many universes of Smashers. The second floor was where there were many headphones for people to listen and jam to a variety of music. Palutena and Lucina first scoped around the ground floor before going to the second floor. They saw some interesting music but nothing for them to purchase. What was interesting about the upper floor was that the rooms were separate, so people can listen to music and have fun while having their privacy. Thankfully, there was one room open, so both women went to that room. In the room, it was a fairly wide square room. In the front was a system for anyone to select and play a song. There were two options: play through the radio or through the headphones. The headphones they had were pink with wings on the outside. They also had small microphones for them to sing if they wanted to.

“What should we listen to?” Lucina said as she placed her set of headphones on her ears.

“Any soundtracks from other Smashers’ worlds,” Palutena said, which was not helpful. “I’m feeling some energetic music.”

“Sure,” the bluenette said before the greenette created a playlist of songs ranging from Sonic, Shulk, and Bayonetta’s world.

After hours of rocking out to some music, Palutena and Lucina felt worn out from the dancing. It felt like time flew by so quickly since they were having so much fun. By the time the playlist was done, it was nighttime.

“I’m getting famished,” the swordswoman said as she was about to take off her headphones.

“Wait, Lucina,” the goddess said stopping her swordswoman from taking off her headset. “Can we do one more song? Afterward, we can get some dinner.”

“Sure,” the bluenette did not mind to have fun with one more song. “What song are you thinking of?”

“I was actually thinking about a particular song between us,” she went to find the song that she was thinking of. After scrolling for over 15 seconds, Palutena found the song she wanted to play. “Lucina, this song is how I feel between us.”

Lucina’s heart was pounding fast. She had no idea what kind of plan her goddess was trying to ploy. However, she knew it was going to be a lighthearted song, so it was not going to exhaust them.

The song began with an upbeat tempo. The goddess was already dancing but slowly to the rhythm before turning to Lucina to sing the lyrics to her.

Palutena began, “I have heard it said so many times, ‘love is blind’; so why are you starring?” She then signaled the bluenette to sing as well to the lyrics on the screen.

Lucina followed, “you say that love is all we need, well; does that apply to me? ’Cause I have found someone that I think is beautiful; and I have fallen in love. And I’m telling you; she… means everything to me; she… makes me feel nothing else matters; not even what the world thinks of me.”

There was a short break in the song before more lyrics came back. It was Palutena’s turn to sing.

She started, “They told me when I was a little, ‘love is a pearl’; you’re lucky if you find it; so share that precious beauty with the world; now suddenly they say I’ve got to hide it; but I have found true love; and there is nothing you can do; just try to stop me, just try and stop us; good luck to you ‘cause she… means everything to me; she… makes me feel nothing else matters; not even what the world thinks of me.”

Palutena grabbed both of Lucina’s hands and began a slow dance with her. As she took the lead, the swordswoman had to follow while the song was on instrumental before more lyrics came. Then, the goddess held her right hand and the swordswoman’s left hand and threw her out before twirling her back in. They faced each other, smiling as they were having one of the best times of their lives. Lucina then suddenly took charge and did the same routine Palutena did. However, as the greenette was spinning back, Lucina leaned back, which also made Palutena fall back to where the bluenette was going. Palutena was amazed at how Lucina was able to dance so well. Her cheeks reddened and saw her woman’s beauty through the light behind her. It was at that moment where Palutena and Lucina saw how much they were in love with each other. A sweet moment to cherish before the song was ready to pick up again. They stopped dancing and faced each other to finish the song.

Palutena raised her left hand while Lucina raised her right hand up level. Their hands were connected but not intertwined. The bluenette began, “it’s simple as can be; I love her, she loves me; this is what everybody dreams of; there’s nothing to be afraid of; there’s nothing to be afraid of; after all, it’s only love.”

The greenette was beaming, having water on her eyes after listening to this romantic song with Lucina. She leaned closer to her. The bluenette took notice but allowed her to do so. Their microphones hooked on to each other and were stuck until they moved away, but they never did until the song had finished.

Palutena and Lucina sang along together. “’Cause she… means everything to me; she… makes me feel nothing else matters; not even what the world thinks of me.”

The intrumentals soon faded until nothing was heard. The goddess and the swordswoman only locked eyes at each other. Palutena giggled while Lucina smiled brightly. Neither could say anything because they both had to take in the tender moments they had while singing their song. The hands that were touching each other remained unchanged. Then, Palutena leaned closer to her swordswoman, and her nose touched Lucina’s. She then rubbed the bluenette’s nose, causing Lucina to blush immensely. However, the Ylissean closed her eyes and rubbed Palutena’s nose back. For the first time, Lucina felt stress free from the final tomorrow. It did not matter to her for now; what mattered to her was building the once broken relationship with her goddess. To her, the relationship felt like it never went away. Lucina believed that their breakup was a dip in their relationship before it went up exponentially. She wanted to cherish every moment with Palutena no matter what. Afterward they tried to pull away from each other but the microphones were still interlocked, engendering them to stop their tracks when they tried to step back.

“I forgot about the microphones,” the greenette chuckled at her mishap before picking up both headsets and putting them back on the stands. She then turned to her woman. “Did it hurt?”

“No, it didn’t,” Lucina said softly before hearing her stomach growl loudly. She covered her stomach with her arms and felt her cheeks red. “I’m sorry. I’m starting to get hungry.”

“Don’t feel embarrassed,” the greenette said before swiftly picking her swordswoman up in a bridal style. “I’ll carry you to the restaurant of your choice, my princess.”

“Why are you picking me up like this again?!” Lucina yelled sheepishly and upsettingly. “It’s still feels peculiar.”

“I like how you act whenever I do this,” Palutena smiled, not trying to make jokes based on her tone. “You’re so cute every time you act uncomfortable.”

Lucina smiled a little after her goddess called her cute. “Regardless, let me go. I still want to walk.”

Palutena gently put her girlfriend down while giggling at Lucina’s awkward behavior. “Where do you want to eat?”

“Actually,” the bluenette was not thinking of going to a restaurant and staying there. “I want to get dinner to go and eat somewhere where it’s just the two of us.”

“I like that idea,” Palutena thought more about Lucina’s suggestion, and it was something she would rather do. “But you have to tell me where you want to go first?”

“Something healthy for the final tomorrow,” the goddess was in no disagreement with her girlfriend’s suggestion.

They went to an inter-universal restaurant to find something healthy to eat. Palutena ended up getting sushi while Lucina chose a chicken salad to keep things safe for her health. After they took their meals in a carryout box, Palutena and Lucina exited the city and saw a decently elevated hill at the direction towards the mansion. The view was gorgeous as the night lights of the city gleamed perfectly to where both women felt like a romantic date at the top of the city. As they ate their dinner, Palutena and Lucina talked about topics not related to the tournament or their personal lives. They talked about hobbies and life at their respective worlds. The bluenette pondered about what life would be like if she lived in Skyworld with the greenette. It was a completely different environment compared to her home in Ylisse. She would get some sparing with Centurions but based on what Palutena was saying about them, it was not really going to be an intensive training to a point where she would maintain her swordplay skills. She was better off against Pit, Dark Pit, and her goddess. However, her concern about living with Palutena was interacting with the other gods and goddesses. She was worried that she would be treated poorly simply because she was a mortal. If they find out about her relationship with Palutena, it would cause serious friction. Even though this was all hypothetical, it was something she pondered about should she choose to live with her goddess. The greenette, on the other hand, mused about how she could fare in Ylisse. She believed that she would be respected as a goddess since they were known to be venerated. At the same time, she could not leave her home because she had to rule Skyworld. There was no way she would abandon her duties to serve and protect her people. She shrugged the thought away because this was if she wanted to pursue more with Lucina.

Time had passed. They finished their dinner and sat together with their backs behind a large tree while facing the city lights. Palutena kneeled as her way of sitting while Lucina sat with her legs bending behind her while her knees were facing inward to the goddess. Her head rested between Palutena’s chest and right shoulder. The greenette placed her right hand on the bluenette’s right side of her head. Lucina hugged her woman’s waist. It was a very intimate moment between them. It felt like they did so much in so little time. How time flies when you’re having fun. All that time, they never spoke a word until Palutena wanted to say something personal to Lucina but not too directly.

“Tired, Lucina?” She asked her swordswoman, wondering if they should end their date now.

“I’m not tired,” the Ylissean said as she still wanted to spend more time with her goddess. “The night is not over for us. I want this date to last a little longer.”

“Of course,” Palutena was in no objection as she would do anything to keep her lover happy. Soon, the goddess had a thought that she really wanted to say. “Lucina, there’s something I need to say to you.”

“What is it?” Lucina was inquisitive as to what was on the goddess’s mind.

“I can never believe that I would fall in love with a mortal,” the first sentence that came out of Palutena’s mouth was a bit of a shock for Lucina to hear. At first, the Ylissean felt like her back was stabbed by the woman she loved. She sat up and turned to her goddess with a displeased look.

“What do you mean by that? Do you still like me or not?”

“Let me clarify,” the greenette realized that her sentence was ambiguous and felt bad about saying it with properly wording it correctly. “As you know that I’ve had previous relationships with other gods and goddesses.”

“I’m well aware,” she acknowledged that fact.

“It was normal for everyone at my home for gods and goddesses to be in romantic partnerships with each other,” Lucina still did not comprehend where Palutena was going with her message. “Among those relationships, I’ve had three ‘serious’ relationships with Zeus, Ares, and Athena… or so I thought.”

“Why did you say like that?” Lucina asked, wondering about the last words that her goddess had said. It sounded like her heart was broken into more pieces with each breakup.

“Those three names I mentioned were the ones I thought I fell in love with. Three times I thought gods and goddess can feel love the same way as humans do like Mario and Peach and Samus and Zelda. I wanted to get closer with them. I initiated the first kiss as the step towards a more serious phase of the relationship. Then all three of them then went distant from me. They never wanted anything deeper than just a simple date and holding hands. I wanted it more than that. Because they all told me, ‘gods and goddess cannot divulge into such foolishness known as love, only partnerships. We only protect our people and must stay that way.’”

“None of the three were ever an intimate one?” Lucina felt horrible to hear Palutena’s heartbreaking history of her past relationships. “There had to be one.”

Palutena simply shook her head. “The closest one was Zeus. For a moment, he felt the same as I did for him when I took the first kiss. For a brief time, he and I felt close to each other to where I thought I found the meaning of love. Then Athena and Ares told Zeus about how I give too much love. They also mentioned how I don’t treat my people fair, especially towards Pit. They said how I never cared for his life and put in many dangerous situations while seeing him as a joke, which I never felt about Pit at all.  This scared Zeus away from me. He then kept distant from me and even told me he never loved me. From that point, I felt that love had no meaning to me… until I met you.”

“You mean?” The swordswoman had a mix of emotions. She felt sad that Palutena had to endure much heartbreak before her yet was overjoyed to hear that she was the one the goddess felt love the most.

“Yes,” Palutena smiled brightly as she placed two fingers on the bluenette’s chin. “Lucina, you were the one that gave me meaning on loving someone. At first, I didn’t feel the same when you had a crush on me.”

Lucina felt a bit uneasy from hearing that statement because it was a one-sided attraction at the time.

“But,” the goddess continued, knowing that Lucina did not like hearing the aforementioned statement. “You asked me out. I was in a dilemma because my life as a goddess taught me that I cannot be with mortals because they were inferior to deities. However, I took a chance with you. During our time dating, I fell in love with you. No one made me feel that I found my meaning other than you. When you broke with me, I thought love stabbed me again for the fourth and final time.”

“You don’t have to keep going on,” the Ylissean did not want to remember the suffering she made Palutena go through when she tried to develop a relationship with Meta Knight. “It’s my fault that you had to endure such travesty.”

“But then, a miracle happened. You came back to me and we got back together,” Palutena then wrapped her arms around Lucina’s upper body and pulled her close. “Lucina, I cannot express how much you mean to me. Never once did you get bored or sick of talking to me. We share some commons things together. We complement each other. I cannot express how much I love you. I hope I don’t go through another betrayal.”

Lucina wanted to tear up because she never realized how strong the magnitude of Palutena’s feelings was for her. There was a part of her that told her she was a hypocrite for something, so she had to say something as well.

“I’m a hypocrite.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Remember when I said I’ve told you everything about my life?” Palutena recalled the conversation she had with her and Pit. “I never told you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“I never told you why the word, clone, gives me so much pain.”

“I regret ever saying that to you,” she tried to suppress the incident that led to their breakup. That mistake was something Palutena vowed to never make again.

“Only Robin knows about this because she was the one who was there for me.”

“What happened?”

Lucina told her goddess the incident at the restaurant where a group of cruel guys yelled insults and assaulted her because she was clone. They even falsely accused her of sleeping with the higher ups to get into the Smash competition. It then compelled her to end her life because she did not want to live with that suffering anymore. However, Robin’s words saved her from losing herself.

Palutena stood, feeling indignant at the ones who told Lucina to kill herself. She infuriatingly said, “Where are they? I want to find them and give them a very daunting talk as to why hating someone because they are not unique fighters to a point where they should kill themselves is toxic.”

“Palutena,” Lucina stood up and held the goddess’s left hand with both of her hands. She sounded worried for her woman because she did not want Palutena to act out of passion. “I’ve already passed that.”

“No, it’s not okay,” she heavily disagreed. “They have no idea what you went through. They need to be called out on it.”

“I feel the same but I learned something else from Robin.”

“What did you learn?”

“I have a reason to live. I want to experience other worlds with the people who care about me and the ones I care about as well,” she placed her hands around Palutena’s neck. “Looking at my life now, I’m in the finals of a major tournament; I’ve made positive influences on people; and the best of all I’ve fallen in love with the most beautiful woman who is now my girlfriend.”

No words could express how warming the goddess felt when Lucina said that. She could feel that the swordswoman meant every single word she said. Palutena placed her hands under the Ylissean’s knees and lifted her up.

“Palutena!” Lucina again felt embarrassed from being lifted up too many times. She held the greenette’s shoulders to try to push and signal her to put her down. “Please let me go this instant! How many times do I have to tell you to not-“

She was interrupted by Palutena who moved Lucina’s back against the tree, lowered her body so it was at level with the goddess’s, and passionately pressed her lips on the bluenette’s lips. Lucina was no longer feeling sheepish after getting lifted up; she kissed her goddess back and placed her hands behind Palutena’s head to pull her closer. They continued to kiss each other feeling the warmth and passion from them. There was a spark every time Lucina would kiss Palutena and vice versa. No matter how many times they kiss, the spark did not weaken. In fact, it was getting stronger with how much they feel for each other. Soon their kiss broke and they had stared for a brief stint.

“That’ll shut up your complaining,” Palutena jokingly said to her swordswoman while grinning.

Lucina had a serious expression that expressed annoyance with her goddess yet looked like she was teasing Palutena as well. Eventually, she could not hold that expression and giggled a bit shamefacedly. As a result, the greenette chuckled as well.

“Maybe,” she averted her blue eyes away from the emerald-haired woman.

Both laughed lightly. Moments like this made Lucina happy and enjoy her time with her girlfriend. They then rubbed their noses together again. Palutena still wanted to show more of her love to the swordswoman. Soon they sat down while she still held the bluenette. Lucina wrapped her arms around the goddess’s neck. Palutena pressed her lips harder against Lucina’s lips. Her hands shifted the bluenette’s shoulders and gently pressed them against the tree. Then Palutena moved her lips down to Lucina’s neck. She kissed every part of the Ylissean’s necks emitting a moan from Lucina.

“Gods, I love you, Lucina,” she said before pelting many kisses on different areas of the swordswoman’s neck.

Lucina was enjoying the kisses coming from her goddess. The sensual touch of the goddess’s kiss felt unreal to the Ylissean. She did not want this intimacy to end because she felt closer to Palutena in terms of physical touch and emotional connection. Soon the greenette pulled away and placed her right hand on the bluenette’s left cheek after Lucina yawned.

“My, my, you’re tired already?”

“Just a little.”

“You’re a little tired because I kissed you other than your lips,” that comment made Lucina blush, already thinking about the tender feeling when Palutena kissed her neck.

“The competition is tomorrow. We should get some rest soon,” the bluenette felt alleviated from the stresses she had for the tournament. The date truly helped relax her mind.

“Our match isn’t until the evening,” she reasoned her swordswoman to stay up a little longer. “I’m not trying to stay up all night but at least have a little more fun before we sleep.”

“I’m not against that,” Lucina gave in, hinting that she wanted to spend a little more time with her goddess. “I just want to spend more time with you back at the mansion now.”

“Lucina,” Palutena felt nervous asking her princess a certain question since it may risk damage to their relationship due to the fact that she believed she may be moving the relationship too fast. “Would… you like to spend the night with me?”

“Spend the night with you?” The Ylissean thought of what her goddess meant by that. She hoped it was not something that would push the boundaries. “You don’t mean in that slang terms?”

“Oh, no!” Palutena apologized for being vague with her question. “I mean play some games for a bit, and you can rest on my bed. Don’t worry; I’m not going to make any advances that’ll make you uncomfortable. I just want to be with you just a little longer. Is that okay with you?”

Lucina thought about it for a moment. It was true that she did not want to make things awkward after their kissing session. At the same time, she knew that Palutena was never going to break a promise. Then she made her final answer, “Yes.”

Palutena was glad that her swordswoman was going to spend the night at her place.

“Shall I escort you in a bridal carry style?” Initially, she asked as a joke but was also serious at the same time.

“I don’t mind it at all,” her response surprised Palutena. She did not expect her swordswoman to be fine with being lifted after doing so several times in the same night. “I just need my nightwear first.”

“Of course,” Palutena then carried Lucina in a bridal style and walked their way to the mansion. As they were walking, the Ylissean rested her head on the goddess’s chest, feeling the warmth from her body.

“Tonight isn’t the night to ask the question,” Lucina thought to herself. “But I know that my future is with her.”


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The morning of the final had arrived. One of the most exciting and anticipated finals of a major Smash tournament was about to commence. Behind a great tournament were histories of each team’s road to the championship. Although three of the four teams were contenders for the title, there was one team that had everyone talking about: Palutena and Lucina. No one had expected them to make it this far into the tournament let alone winning the entire thing. From the internal conflict of their romantic relationship to reconciliation, the goddess and the swordswoman overcame their obstacles and reached the final despite people expecting them to be eliminated early. However, they proved them wrong. As a result, people started to have better perceptions of them, especially towards Lucina. People were now rooting for Palutena and Lucina to win the tournament since it would be an amazing journey to the championship. Only will the competition decide the outcome of the final.

Lucina had woken up from her long sleep after her date last night with Palutena. It was a memorable night for her because it was the most fun the bluenette ever had for quite some time. Lucina felt stress-free last night, which helped her out for the big competition today. As she rose up, the Ylissean stretched her arms out before realizing that she was not in her room. It was different due to the design and colors of the bedroom. Green walls with artwork of the greenette’s temple. Lucina then knew she was in Palutena’s room. At first, her heart raced a bit faster, trying to recollect herself and find out why was she in her girlfriend’s bed.

Then there was a scent of food coming outside the bedroom. It must be her goddess cooking something. First, Lucina had to use the restroom before going to the kitchen to see what was going on. As the bedroom door opened, the bluenette saw the greenette cooking something delicious on the stove. She did not know what it was, but that did not matter to her. Because she opened the door, Palutena turned back, smiling to see her swordswoman awake.

“Morning, Lucy,” she said sweetly before looking at the stove to finish up her cooking. “Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning, Palutena,” the Ylissean slightly grinned back before sitting down, appearing to be confused and frightened about what happened last night. “I slept well.”

Palutena then turned the heat to low, having this intuition that her girlfriend was displeased with a particular thought. She turned to see the bluenette. “Is there something wrong, Lucina?”

“I believe there is, at least for me,” Lucina reluctantly said even though it was somewhat reasonable for her to think that.

“Save that for a second,” the goddess turned off her stove and evenly distributed the breakfast she made for Lucina and herself. She walked to the table with two plates of her special omelet.  It was a variety of vegetables, rice, and chicken covered elegantly by large eggs melded together. “You must be hungry. You need to eat before our tournament today.”

“Thank you,” Lucina said before grabbing a fork that her goddess gave her and taking a bite. “It’s very delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it. I made it for today,” Palutena explained as she took a bite for her food. She still saw that Lucina looked unsure of herself. Wanting to help her out, she did not want her to suffer silently. “Lucina, you can tell me what’s wrong. I can tell that it’s about our date.”

Lucina had been figured out by her goddess. She nodded in the most conceding way possible, which concerned the deity. “Palutena, can you confirm something for me?”

“Of course,” she thought it was something little like if the bluenette said something stupid. “What do you want to know?”

“Did… we engage in a sexual activity in your room?” Lucina blushed at the very thought but at the same time hoped it did not happen. “I can’t recall the events last night after we came here.”

The question surprised Palutena and also gave her a slight blush as well. She was also astonished that Lucina could not recall certain events last night, so she helped her clarify things to clear her mind.

“I’ll explain everything,” her first response made the bluenette more anxious because it made her believe that they did engage in some sexual activity.

“Please tell me we did not do that?”

“Lucina,” Palutena held both of her swordswoman’s hands to calm her down. “If you want to know, then you have to listen to me.”

“Understood,” the bluenette took a deep breath before hearing the presumably bad news to her.

“When we arrived at my place,” Palutena began the story. “You were still not tired for the night, and you still wanted to do something with me. The first thing we did was playing games for a bit. Afterward, I was in the mood to dance again because of the music store we went to yesterday, so we danced for some time. It was a bit late in the night, hours after midnight, around 2-3am. It was then that you felt exhausted for the night.”

“This is the part where we engaged in that, correct?” Lucina felt that her speculation appeared to be true.

“I remember the conversation we had if that helps.”

“Tell me.”

_It was 15 minutes before 3 am. Both women were tired from their date and needed sleep for the competition. They both entered Palutena’s bedroom. The blunette went into the goddess’s restroom to change into her nightwear while the greenette changed in the bedroom. After they had changed, Palutena and Lucina laid on the bed together. The Ylissean hugged her goddess’s left arm and felt the radiating warmth from her. Even though they were tired for the night, they still had little energy to do something before sleeping. Palutena faced her swordswoman and planted a short kiss on her forehead. Lucina stared at her goddess for a moment before getting closer to her and kissing Palutena’s lips. Soon the goddess kissed her back before getting on top of Lucina. The greenette resumed to passionately kiss her lips back. Palutena savored and loved every kiss of her girlfriend. She had her hands on Lucina’s wrist and pinned them to the bed sheets and continued kissing her. The goddess then moved her lips down to the Ylissean’s neck. After several seconds there, she attempted to move further down. It was then that the future princess moved uncomfortably. Palutena caught that and broke her lips off from Lucina’s body._

_“Palutena, wait,” Lucina shifted her hands closer to her body in a way that she was defending herself._

_“I’m sorry, Lucina,” Palutena immediately regretted pushing the boundaries while still on top of her girlfriend. “I shouldn’t have gone there. I thought I was fine until you didn’t want it.”_

_“It’s not that,” the bluenette clarified. “I still want to kiss you, but I don’t think I’m ready to go any further from there. As much as I would like to, I’m not ready for it yet.”_

_This was supposed to be the part where Palutena would be disappointed by hearing that. However, she never did. Her face expressed remorse and acceptance of her swordswoman’s feelings._

_“Of course, Lucy,” she still tried to tease her by sensually moving her left index finger on Lucina’s legs and lower body, forcing a slight moan from the bluenette. Despite that, Palutena was genuinely honest and true to her word. “I will not go far where you’re uncomfortable. Just tell me and I’ll do it.”_

_“Are you not disappointed?”_

_“Why would I be disappointed?” She thought Lucina’s question was silly before giving a smirk. “If we’re not going to do it now, we’ll eventually do it. When we have our first, I’m going to make sure you are pleased.”_

_“You’re amazing but also annoying because you tease me a lot,” Lucina was mostly honest but also tried to make a joke, but it did not faze Palutena at all. In fact, she found it adorable. “But I am glad that you understand.”_

_“I’m your girlfriend,” she reminded her swordswoman the conversation she had with her and Pit. “As I said before, I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy. That’s what I’ll do to prove my love for you.”_

_Lucina could not help but smile and sheepishly giggle by her woman’s kind and supporting words. She wrapped her arms around Palutena’s neck. “I love you. You’ll always be my goddess.”_

_“I love you, too, Lucina. You’ll always be my knight in shining armor,” the greentte smiled back and placed her hands on Lucina’s shoulders. “May I at least kiss you on your lips?”_

_“You may certainly.”_

“So we never,” Lucina had to confirm that they never engaged in sexual intercourse.

“We never did,” Palutena confirmed. “We simply kissed as we normally do before going to sleep.”

The bluenette gave off a huge sigh of relief that they never did something that Lucina was not ready for, prompting the goddess to giggle on her swordswoman’s reaction. She continued to take several more bites of her goddess’s dish as a way to be glad that it never happened. “Your omelet is very delicious.”

“Thanks,” the greenette smiled at the appraisal of her food. “We have plenty of time before the final today.”

“It’s in the late afternoon, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” the goddess saw that it was just past noon. “Once we finish eating, do you want to do something else before we head out for our final?”

“I like to just stay here and talk to you.”

The evening was near coming. The entire city had closed their businesses early for another special occasion. The only places that were open were restaurants and bars that broadcasted the final. Everyone was exuberant for another major Smash tournament. Bets were being made as to who would win the title. It was a sight to behold. This was only the residents of the city. The Smashers besides the competitors were all over the place. Almost all of them went to the city to watch the final while the fans in the city would get the opportunity to meet their favorite fighters. Meanwhile, the remaining others: Robin, Avatar, Dark Pit, and Pit stayed in the lounge at the mansion. Because they were the only ones in the lounge, it was acceptable for them to talk about certain topics that no other person had known other than them.

One hour before the final.

“Robin,” the dark angel noticed that his girlfriend looked terrified based on her body language. “Are you okay? You don’t too well.”

“No,” she admitted before sitting down to take several deep breaths. “I’m extremely nervous, Angel.”

“Why is that?” The white angel made his input as he was curious as well.

“It’s obvious,” the male tactician came into the conversation. “Robin is watching her best friend fight in one of the biggest tournaments of her life. Not only that, but Lucina is also competing with Palutena, the woman she is in love with. It’s normal for someone to be nervous by watching someone they care for in the championship match.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Pit said before sitting down next to the female tactician. “Robin, I know Lucina is going to win it with Lady Palutena. Sure they had their troubles recently, but that was resolved. I don’t think that’ll put them in a disadvantage. I mean they went out last night to alleviate their stress for today. I’m sure they’ll win against all the odds.”

“Thank you, Pit,” Robin hugged the white angel for giving supporting words to her. Although the words were nice, it did not significantly reduce her stress because Pit’s words were not necessarily true. Her anxiety will be gone when the match ends. “I want this to be over already.”

“Don’t all of us,” her boyfriend said before sitting next to his tactician and putting his right shoulder over her. “We just have to watch and see what happens. If Lucina and Palutena win, then it’s great for all of us. If they don’t win, then it’s fine. It is what it is. They should still be proud of how far they’ve come to make it this far in the tournament.”

“I know but,” she wanted to say something else, but she did not know how to formulate such words. Her feeling was wanting her best friend to win it all because it would fulfill the bluenette’s goal personally. Even if Lucina did not win, Robin believed that the goal fell too short. It would have been a wonderful story for Lucina who went through personal conflict during the tournament on the verge of elimination to win it all with the woman she had broken up and got back with through their love. If Lucina did not win, then the story would not have been as inspiring as it could have been. “Lucy went through so much in this tournament. She broke up with Palutena, which made them perform so poorly and were almost eliminated because of it. Then she tried to cope with the breakup by developing another relationship with Meta Knight, which hurt Palutena even more. Then their relationship got worse because I felt like Lucina just stopped caring about her by trying to be ‘friends’ with each other. It hurt my heart just hearing how Lucina didn’t try to really fix things with Palutena and went all in with Meta Knight. Then, I found out that they got back together. Because of that, they instantly performed better and made it to the finals. I know I’m annoying you guys with my talk about Lucy and her girlfriend, but I just can’t escape this anxiety I have.”

“Robin,” the Avatar walked behind the couch his counterpart was sitting and rested his hands on her shoulders. “We know how much you care about Lucina. It makes us happy that you care so much for her. Sometimes, you have to accept what your best friend wants to do even if you don’t like it. Although it doesn’t apply anymore because Lucina got back with Palutena, it’s still something that all of us should be aware of.”

“Oh, what will I do without you guys,” she could not help but smile that her boyfriend, Pit, and her male counterpart were all supportive of her. “I can’t believe you guys had to deal with my annoying shit.”

“Don’t put too much negativity on yourself, Robin,” the white angel disagreed. “No one is perfect anyways. We like you for who you are. We’re not going to dislike you for having a character flaw. It makes you guys who you are. If people can’t see that, then it’s their fault. They only want specific things for you rather than the whole. I rather see someone as they are as a whole.”

“I like what you said,” the female tactician said as she rubbed Pit’s brown hair. “You’re a smart guy.”

“Thanks, Robin,” he felt a little blush from the compliment by scratching the back of his head. “I went through a lot back home to learn such things.”

Robin simply giggled. She felt a bit better from talking to her friends. As the countdown was drawing closer, they all had to prepare for food and drinks for the dramatic final.

Ten minutes before the final.

The competition was about to commence. All four teams were at the white room to prepare for the fight of the tournament. Master Hand was in the room to instruct directions to the competitors before heading to the stadium to spectate the final. Mario was giving a motivational speech to his younger brother along with important lessons to take away from the tournament. Samus and Zelda continued to warm up for the final with light exercises and stretches. Link was sat down to meditate in order to prepare himself mentally for the championship match. Meta Knight was practicing the swiftness of his blade while making quick stares at Palutena and Lucina who were preparing themselves to fight three extremely difficult teams. The Star Warrior had one goal in mind: making sure that the goddess and her swordswoman do not win the tournament. He was still recovering from Lucina’s rejection of him over Palutena. Part of him still wanted to take another chance with the Ylissean. It could be his chance to do it again. Meanwhile, Palutena and Lucina were getting water to hydrate themselves for the tournament.

“Nervous, Lucina?” The greenette asked her girlfriend as she sipped a cup of water.

“I would have been if you hadn’t asked me out on our date last night,” the future princess made a sly response and smirked. Because of her goddess, she felt less stressed about the match.

“Oh,” Palutena sounded surprised and felt her cheeks redden a little. She liked the fact that she helped her lover feel stronger mentally for an important battle. “I’m glad you aren’t as anxious as you could’ve been because of me.”

“Last night was the most fun I’ve had,” Lucina could not help but smile brightly as she recalled everything she and her goddess did.

“It definitely was, especially when I,” Palutena placed her left hand on Lucina’s hips while touching the bluenette’s chin. She leaned closer to her face, prompting the Ylissean to feel warmer than usual. “Got closer to you.”

“You were quite aggressive on your kissing,” her comment embarrassed the greenette but still made her grin. However, Palutena’s peripheral vision saw a Star Warrior who stared at them intently and coldly before turning away to meet with his teammate.

“Lucina, let’s go outside for a quick second.”

“Why is that?” Lucina seemed bewildered that her goddess had a sudden change in tone.

“Meta Knight was watching us,” the future princess felt a bit uncomfortable hearing that name. “He doesn’t need to see us.”

“I understand. Let’s go,” both women exited out the white room before Master Hand saw them trying to leave.

“Where are you two going?” The right hand asked.

“We want to have a private talk before coming back,” the goddess explained to Master Hand, hoping he was fine with it.

“Very well,” he had no objection to it as long as it did not delay the final. “Make sure you two come back quickly.”

Palutena and Lucina walked out of the white room and stood behind a wall just several feet away from the entrance. They made sure that no one else was looking before they began their talk.

“Lucina,” the greenette initiated the talk. “I know what is at stake for this tournament. This match is more important to you than it is to me.”

“I don’t understand your reasoning for that,” Lucina felt that the final was also equally as important to her goddess as it was for her. “Don’t you have a reason to prove yourself in this tournament?”

“I do,” she admitted, feeling reluctant to talk about her reasons but went with it anyway. “I want to redeem myself for hurting you and Pit without realizing the consequences of my actions. I was so caught up on satisfying myself that I disregarded the feelings of the people very dear to me. The desire to be in a relationship brought me down. That was all I cared about. But then your reasons to win this tournament are better than mine. You can inspire others while I’m just cleaning up my own self.”

“That is not true,” the bluenette instinctively made a rebuttal to her goddess’s statements. “The stake you have is tantamount to mine’s as well. This is something you want to overcome personally in order to improve yourself. You’ve already redeemed yourself to Pit and me. Right now, your redemption is almost complete. We can work this out together. You came here with a mission; it’s time to successfully complete it.”

“You’re right,” the greenette was moved that Lucina believed that their motives to win the tournament were not a comparison as to which one was better. Palutena embraced her swordswoman softly to show how appreciative she was to her. “Thank you for listening to me. I’m glad to hear that you don’t think of me so low.”

“I understand your struggle,” the future princess hugged back, feeling the radiant warmth coming from her goddess’s body. “I want to help you in every possible way not because you’re my girlfriend, but because I love you. I’m not letting you suffer any more pain than I already have done to you.”

There was brief silence while they still embraced each other. Palutena was holding her swordswoman tighter, never wanting to let go of the bond they had forged together. She made sure to never let anything bring her down but only to grow as a person.

Then it was time for their match to commence.

“We should head back.”

“It’s time to write our future together.”

They returned to the white room where Master Hand instructed them to enter into the teleportation pods as the countdown had ended. Once the introduction was cleared, the floating right hand was ready to transport all four teams to Big Battlefield for the biggest teams’ tournament held in Smash history.

“Are you ready for the finals of the Super Smash Brothers Smash-thlon?!” An announcer hollered at to every crowd in every part of the city to instigate many exuberant crowds. “3 stocks in Big Battlefield. Four teams come in, only one will emerge victoriously. Who is it going to be? Here come our finalists!”

That was the cue. Before Master Hand had teleported them to their destination, Palutena made one last wave to Lucina to convey that everything will be alright. The Ylissean saw the gesture and waved her goddess back. This was their time to prove their capabilities as a team.

All four teams were in Big Battlefield. Mario and Luigi stood at the center of the ground level. Samus and Zelda stood on the right side of the first and second level platforms, respectively. Link was on the highest girder while his teammate Meta Knight was on the middle of the first level platforms. Palutena and Lucina were on the left side of the first and second level platforms, respectively. The final fight was drawing near.

“Here we go,” the white angel said as his excitement and nervousness had him focused on the television.

“I can’t do this,” Robin closed her eyes and buried her face onto Dark Pit’s right shoulder. “Angel, you have to tell me what’s happening, okay?”

“Don’t you want to see your best friend do well?” He asked as he lifted his girlfriend’s face. “Whether you’re anxious or excited, you have to at least support her by watching her match.”

“I know but,” she tried to explain her anxiety but the dark angel placed a finger to cover her lips.

“Don’t stress too much,” he kept on. “I’d feel the same if you were in Lucina’s shoes right now. Imagine how she’s feeling right now. It’s frightening, but I know Lucina is going to pull off a miracle. Believe in her.”

“Okay,” Robin finally said after taking several deep breaths. She covered most of her face with her hands with the exception of her eyes. “Please, Lucy. Make sure everything is going to be alright.”

“3, 2, 1. Go!” The announcer boomed his voice one last time before the championship match was underway.

The match had commenced. Everyone was ready to deliver the first blow. Mario and Luigi hopped over to Samus for a 2v1 scenario. It then became a team fight between the brothers and the bounty and the Hylian princess. Meta Knight leaped towards the goddess as his first target for a series of fanning slashes. Palutena shielded the attack before telekinetically grabbing him. After a series of small light bursts, she did not do anything, confusing the Star Warrior. He then broke off the grab, sending him slightly upward. Then, Lucina went behind him and rotated her body to execute an upward slash behind herself. The greenette then kneeled down before using her powers to twirl her staff above her without touching it. The bluenette landed on the platform above her girlfriend, waiting for Meta Knight to be sent up towards her. However, Link came in and grabbed the swordswoman with his Hookshot. He pinned her down before performing an elbow drop. The warrior then swung his Master Sword in an overhead arcing slash. As she was hit, the Star Warrior was ready to attack. However, he flew back. Palutena intervened by conjuring a blue beam to attack Link. Meta Knight landed on the first level platform where the goddess was, glided passed her, and grabbed her from the front. Lucina had to get rid of the Hylian swordsman, so she swung her Falchion in a downward arc motion. The Star Warrior then threw Palutena with a bicycle kick before following her with a quick upward arcing slash. Lucina tried to help her goddess but was hit by Mario’s tornado attack, launching her in an acute angle. She landed on the highest platform. As she got up, she was grabbed by Luigi who then shoved Lucina under himself before ground pounding her. He followed up with two knife-hand strikes. The red plumber then jumped to Lucina for his bicycle kick. Mario then performed a spinning uppercut to extend his combo. After only getting one hit, Lucina managed to jump away but only to be trapped by Luigi’s own cyclone.

Meanwhile, Meta Knight only had done two upward swings before landing on the right side of the second level platform and executed a spinning, upward thrust. He continued a series of upward arc slashes before landing on the highest platform where Mario and Luigi escaped from Link’s Master Sword. As he landed, the Hylian warrior jumped on the highest platform to help follow up with his teammate’s combo.

However, Meta Knight had other plans.

“Out of my way,” he shoved his teammate before continuing his strings.

Link was surprised to see his teammate act unusual. He could not figure out why that was the case. However, he was met with Samus’s bicycle kick again. He already was taking too much damage from her and Zelda. The bounty hunter still followed up with her bicycle kicks before activating her Jet Boots to perform a jet-propelled diagonal split-legged flying kick. Afterward, she did a spinning hook kick to send him near the barriers above the stage. He would have been safe until the brunette used her Farore’s Wind to warp to where Link was sent to. It was strong enough for him to lose his first life.

Meta Knight finished his combo with his Shuttle Loop. It was not strong enough to get an early kill with Palutena. As he was descending towards the stage, Samus performed a hook kick, which was followed by a roundhouse kick. She tried to bicycle kick the Star Warrior, but Meta Knight drifted far enough to dodge the attack and retaliate. He executed a series of fanning slashes, pushing the bounty hunter back. He did not see Mario who jumped towards him. The red plumber reared back his fist before swinging it overhand. Meta Knight fell onto the first level platform on the right side and bounced. Zelda, fortunately, landed without getting hit by Mario’s large fist, dropped down the platform above the plumber, and performed her flying kick that was infused with magic. Both fighters were vulnerable and tried to attack each other as soon as they could. However, Palutena swooped in by telekinetically twirling her staff around her to hit both of them. Because they were sent in opposite directions, she had to decide who to go for. She went for Mario by striking him with her blue shield. Simultaneously, Lucina ran past her goddess after throwing Luigi offstage to swing her blade downward to send Zelda offstage as well. The bluenette saw that Meta Knight was beneath her and anticipated to get hit. Again, he went for Palutena. The Star Warrior tried to go for an attack, but Samus intervened with her plasma whip. Palutena twirled while emitting her halo, sending the blonde upward. The goddess and the swordswoman regrouped at the center stage for a moment.

“Meta Knight is targeting me,” Palutena said to her girlfriend.

“I’ve noticed,” Lucina acknowledged, waiting for someone to approach them. “I’ll distract him and you can handle the others.”

“I’m trying to, but he’s always finding his way to hit me no matter what,” she shot several lights orbs from her staff to push back Luigi and Link. “Do what you can, Lucy.”

“Will do,” Lucina saw Zelda running towards her while Samus was descending down to her as well. A quick look from the bounty hunter who came down at a fast velocity with her diagonal flying kick was the right moment for Lucina to counterattack. She angled her Falchion downward with the hilt close to her face. Once Samus struck her and Zelda was within proximity, the Ylissean parried and swung back, pushing both women off of her. She turned around to see Palutena flapping her ethereal wings at Luigi, Mario, and Link who were offstage. Meta Knight was flying towards the greenette. Instinctively, Lucina ran towards the opposite direction to catch the Star Warrior. She had back-flipped while swinging her blade in an upward arc motion.

“Thanks,” Palutena said without looking at her lover before going offstage to guard the ledge again her three opponents.

“I’ll protect you,” Lucina softly said to herself before repeating the same move on the Star Warrior again.

Zelda ran past the Yllisean, jumped behind her, and kicked her with another powerful magic attack. Samus caught Lucina with her bicycle kick. Meta Knight tried to swing his blade on the bounty hunter, but the Hylian princess leaped again but towards the Star Warrior. She spun with her arms outstretched around while releasing more magical energy. It was to trap Meta Knight and Lucina in Samus’s bicycle kicks before she ended it with her activation of Jet Boots and kicking diagonally upward before ending it with a roundhouse kick. Zelda then used farore’s wind to warp to their direction and successfully struck both of them. Both Lucina and Meta Knight lost their first life.

Meanwhile, Palutena performed a flying kick to both brothers who then failed to recover after, losing their first life as well. As Link shot his Hookshot onto the ledge, Palutena tried to intercept with a downward roundhouse kick. However, she missed and the Hylian swordsman found himself on the ledge. The greenette warped back to the ledge. Unfortunately, Link dropped down and quickly jumped again. As he did that, he placed the Master Sword below him with the tip of the blade striking Palutena the minute she reappeared. She was fell straight below the stage and lost her first life.

This was a tough battle. It was not going to be easy.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

“No!” Robin vociferously shouted, startling everyone in the room. She covered her mouth with her right hand. Anxiety was shown through her eyes.

“Robin,” Dark Pit called as he pulled her close to him. “It’s only the beginning of the match. They can come back from this.”

She said nothing.

“Pittoo is right,” the white angel agreed with his doppelganger. “Lady Palutena and Lucina may have a bad start, but they can still win it. The teams they’re facing are formidable though, so it’s still a respectable loss.”

“Pit, that last sentence may not have been the most appropriate,” the Avatar informed Pit as he continued to watch the match.

Robin still had nothing to say. Pit felt bad for saying the last part of his statement to the female tactician. He looked a bit sad because he presumably distressed Robin.

“Don’t worry about it too much,” the male tactician placed his left hand on the white angel’s right shoulder. “I’m sure you would feel the same for your goddess.”

“Yes, of course,” Pit responded in a positive and determined tone. “I want Lady Palutena to fight her best and live her life the way she wants it to be. She’ll do anything to look out for the people she cares about and loves for.”

“My point exactly,” he gestured his other hand to show Robin’s body and facial expression to prove his point. “Understand that we don’t always have to say supportive things to Robin all the time. She knows that very well. Her focus right now is her best friend’s crucial match.”

“Okay. Thanks for that,” Pit thanked the Avatar after pondering about his statement for some time. The tactician nodded to acknowledge the white angel’s words.

All but Samus and Zelda had lost their first of three lives. They were more comfortable now that they were in the lead. Neither woman was at risk of losing her first stock. The bounty hunter and the Hylian princess were at the center stage for stage control while the other fighters respawned above the highest platform. Mario and Luigi did not hesitate to drop down onto the ground level to fight Samus and Zelda. The Hylian warrior also had dropped down to the middle platforms to quickly analyze the four fighters’ movement before striking. Palutena and Lucina remained still with Meta Knight who was intent on defeating the goddess no matter what. The greenette wanted to talk about their game plan but chose not to because the Star Warrior was next to them. Instead, she gave an expression to her swordswoman about their current situation, hoping that Lucina would get the message. Thankfully, the Ylissean knew her goddess well enough to understand her message. Palutena dropped down to fight everyone else. As soon as she went, Meta Knight immediately followed. Lucina then followed the Star Warrior in order to prevent him from targeting her girlfriend.

Mario managed to get a grab on Samus. He threw her down like a body slam before following up with an aerial bicycle kick. The brunette tried to disrupt the red plumber’s combo, but Luigi jumped in and swatted her with a knife-hand strike. The green plumber acted as a tank, so his brother could get a confirmed kill setup. Link leaped towards Luigi and performed a hook kick that was followed up by a roundhouse kick. The swordsman repeated the same attack for extra damage before the younger plumber broke the second string with his flying kick.

While the aforementioned events were happening, Mario’s bicycle kick placed him on the middle platform of the first level before using his flying kick as he landed on the middle platform. He then kicked the bounty hunter in a leg-sweep to send her slightly higher due to her damage intake. He followed up after executing two uppercuts to where Samus was trying to escape, which was away from him. Mario did two more bicycle kicks before landing on the right platform on the second level. At that point, he knew that he got the confirm kill setup as he jumped to her, reared his fist back, and unleashing it overhand. The power of his fist sent Samus downward to the barrier below, losing her first life. Palutena leaped behind him as he was vulnerable for an attack and slammed him with her blue shield. She then saw who was behind her. To no surprise, it was Meta Knight was ready to fight her. However, Lucina hopped under him and executed a back-flipping, upward arcing slash. While the Star Warrior was in stun, Palutena drifted towards him and kicked his mask while in the air. The bluenette was already on the right side of the second-level platforms and swung her Falchion in an overhead arc motion. Lucina then immediately jumped and rotated her body to perform an upward slash behind herself. Palutena glided towards Meta Knight to follow up but was interrupted by Zelda’s flying magically-infused kick.

“Impressive,” Lucina said to the Hylian princess as she was facing her in the air before swing her blade in a downward motion.

“Be careful of your surroundings,” Zelda said before ducking through the second-level platforms to go onto the first-level ones.

As the swordswoman descended to where the brunette was, Link had appeared behind her and executed two alternating, spinning outward slashes. Zelda followed up the attack by spinning with her arms outstretched that were infused with magical energy. Her attack pushed Lucina back to the blonde swordsman who quickly landed on the ground stage before jumping again. He then had thrust his Master Sword upward, striking the bluenette above the second-level platforms. Palutena was not quick enough to stop Link from his attack. However, she ended up under him and unleashed a cyan beam to send him upward. Mario then ran to her to get a grab. He spun around while holding the greenette first before throwing her forward. The red plumber rushed towards her, turned around, and did a dropkick while keeping the momentum forward. His brother came from above the platforms to execute his dropkick to hit Palutena back to Mario. Luigi’s brother then jumped to perform a bicycle kick to send her upward. He managed to execute it once before getting interrupted by Lucina’s downward arcing slash, engendering the red plumber to bounce off from the ground. Zelda was on the platform where Mario landed after getting meteor smashed. She grabbed him and magically spun him overhead before launching him upward. The brunette then followed up with her spinning, outstretched arms that were infused with magic. 

Luigi tried to save his brother but was kept out by the Ylissean’s downward slashes. Palutena continued on by telekinetically spinning her staff around herself to add more damage to Luigi. He was then sent back to Lucina who rotated her body to perform an upward slash behind herself. The goddess was ready for another attack to push their advantage, but she was hit from behind by Meta Knight’s dash kick. The Star Warrior then performed a spinning, upward thrust before flying up for a series of upward arcing slashes. Lucina ran under Meta Knight for another back-flipping, upward arching slash to separate his attack from her goddess. Palutena drifted away to fight Luigi and the others. The bluenette repeated the same attack to keep the Star Warrior from landing. However, Link grabbed Lucina with his hook shot. He raised her up before slashing the swordswoman upward. Meta Knight followed up with a series of fanning slashes in front of him. Link leaped towards Lucina to perform two alternating, spinning outward slashes, pushing her off the stage. The Hylian warrior quickly landed before pulling out a bomb to force a reaction out of Lucina. Before throwing his projectile, Samus grabbed him from behind with her plasma whip. Once he was pulled close to the blonde woman, she kneed him twice before pinning and performing an ax kick on him. Samus followed up with a bicycle kick and then a hook kick and a roundhouse kick. Thanks to her, Lucina safely returned to the stage. However, Meta Knight grabbed her as soon as she climbed back onto the stage. He laid the future princess behind himself, warped, and then slashed her back. Because she was not expecting that move, the Star Warrior then proceeded to perform his Shuttle Loop. Knowing that he became vulnerable for an attack, Samus decided to let Link return to the stage and spun around to swing a whip of plasma from her Paralyzer laterally around herself on Meta Knight. Because she was on the platforms, she managed to repeat the same attack before performing two bicycle kicks. When she tried to activate her Jet Boots to deliver the final blow, Mario came out of nowhere with his fast jumping uppercut. Zelda had teleported with her Farore’s Wind on the left platform below the highest girder where Mario landed before extending her arm to deliver a powerful, magical explosion from her fingers. Samus quickly landed before using multiple bicycle kicks on the red plumber to send him to the skies. However, Link threw his Gale Boomerang at Zelda, causing her to get caught in her woman’s setup. Realizing that Zelda was trapped, Samus dropped her sequence and went for Link instead. Mario then dropkicked her, sending to the right side of the stage. Meta Knight immediately went under her before striking a series of upward arcing slashes. He did about four slashes before releasing his Shuttle Loop, thus taking Zelda’s first life. The red plumber leaped where Meta Knight was vulnerable for a possible early kill, but he was interrupted by Palutena’s twirling halo, which sent him not high enough to lose his second life. Because he jumped near the invisible barrier and was not aware of his surroundings, it placed him in danger of putting his brother in a very disadvantageous position. Meta Knight landed on the highest platform before leaping towards the goddess to aggressively unleash a series of upward arcing slashes. On his third slash, Samus shot a paralyzing energy blast to stun the Star Warrior from attacking more. Palutena was ready to defend against the bounty hunter but never happened.

“Consider yourself lucky for now,” the blonde woman said before ducking through the platforms to battle Luigi.

“Don’t make it easy for us just because we’re friends,” the goddess playfully responded before getting back into the game. She kicked the Star Warrior while in the air before drifting away from him.

Link was fighting Lucina. He tried to prevent her from approaching by throwing bombs and his Gale Boomerang to limit her defense options. The bluenette had to figure out how to bypass Link’s wall of projectiles. Then she found a way. The blonde swordsman threw his Gale Boomerang again, which Lucina side-dodged to escape. Link then immediately pulled out a bomb, trying to feign a throw to throw off the Ylissean. However, she was not fazed. He thought that she fell for the bait and threw the bomb preemptively. Lucina dodged the same way as she did with the boomerang. The winds of the boomerang pulled her closer to Link who reacted by trying to throw out his Master Sword at her. However, the future princess parried his attack and swung back. Link was offstage and pulled out a bomb in case he needed to boost his recovery. Before going offstage, Zelda grabbed Lucina from behind, restraining the bluenette with her magic. The brunette then magically shoved Lucina beneath her and blasted with fiery, magical energy from her hands. Her next follow-up was extending her arm to unleash a powerful magical burst from her index and middle fingers. The power of that attack sent Lucina far upward. She nearly contacted with the invisible barrier but barely survived. Palutena flew towards the Hylian princess and slammed her with her blue shield. Meta Knight still followed and grabbed her when she landed on the left platform on the first level. Link was right beneath them. Thinking that his partner was helping him with a setup, Link performed three overhead arcing slashes. However, Meta Knight placed the goddess behind him, warped, and almost slashed her back. Instead, the Star Warrior ended up getting hit, sending him fairly far upward but not enough for an accidental teamkill. The greenette landed and quickly flew towards the Hylian swordsman for a grab. She telekinetically threw him onto the ground before following up with a magical halo, which was not enough for a confirmed kill. Palutena was back onto the ground level of the stage. She turned around to see Lucina who was knocked back and landed in front of her.

“Lucina,” Palutena lifted her swordswoman before standing in front of her. “Stay back for a bit. Let me handle these fighters while you stay back.”

“I should be fine,” the Ylissean replied while breathing slightly harder than before. “We just need to be closer to each other because if we don’t, we’ll take too much damage.”

“If that’s the case, then stay close to me and attack anyone from behind.”

Lucina turned back to see Zelda running towards her. The goddess took a step forward after Mario and Luigi approached her on the ground and in the air respectively.

The Hylian princess leaped, thinking that Lucina would try to shield for an attack. However, the future princess read her move and jumped as well. Lucina swung her Falchion downward twice to push Zelda away from her and Palutena. The bluenette then took two steps back as the brunette had her hands on the ledge. Lucina then stomped on her left foot, forcing the Hylian woman to think her opponent that she was coming close to her. Zelda got up and rolled onto the stage but was met with Lucina’s strong lunging downward slash, pushing her back offstage.

Palutena had to rely on her flying kick to space out the Mario brothers. However, once Luigi saw that was her plan, he threw out green fireballs on ground level to keep her away from him. Mario then jumped and descended, waiting for the perfect time for the goddess to shield or reflect his brother’s projectiles. He saw that Palutena reflected Luigi’s fireballs and quickly landed in front of her for a grab. Mario spun her legs around three times before throwing her to his younger brother. Luigi tried to leap towards her, hoping he can dropkick her back to his older brother. However, Lucina ran so fast that she grabbed him before he could even jump. She kneed him two times before hearing Mario running to save his brother. Despite his efforts, the red plumber was hit by Din’s Fire that Zelda had cast across from the stage. The Ylissean threw her left arm to body slam, Luigi. She followed up by a back-flipping upward arcing slash. Once she did that, Samus appeared in front of her and performed a spinning hook kick. The bounty hunter had fought Meta Knight one-on-one and dealt a good amount of damage, but he had escaped. The Star Warrior descended onto Palutena who landed on the middle platform on the first-level, pushing her off the platform. He went underneath her to swing multiple upward fanning slashes. However, Zelda ran towards him and executed a double palm thrust that emitted a blast of magical energy from her hands, launching him upward. The goddess then performed a roundhouse kick below the Hylian princess, but Zelda recovered on the platform and countered with a magically-infused, outward fanning knife hand strike, knocking her back to the center stage.

While the aforementioned event happened, Lucina performed an inward horizontal slash, followed by a spinning, outward horizontal slash to both Samus and Luigi. Link then jumped behind them to perform a hook kick followed by a mid-level roundhouse kick. Meanwhile, Mario ascended to Lucina at the right time and executed his flying kick, pushing her back to the center stage where Palutena stood. Mario was planning on running to her, turning around, and releasing an upward arcing headbutt. Link was also charging towards Lucina and Mario for his Jump Attack. Samus and Luigi were going to descend towards Palutena and Lucina, respectively. All fighters were going to hit both the goddess and the swordswoman.

“Perfect timing,” the goddess smirked as she was prepared to fight back with her staff close to her.

“On my mark,” the swordswoman place the helm of her Falchion adjacent to her face while facing it downward.

Zelda, Meta Knight, and Samus were targeting Palutena while Mario, Link, and Luigi were targeting Lucina. Once Mario executed his headbutt and Zelda performed her magically infused flying kick, Palutena and Lucina countered back.

“Counter!” The greenette parried with her shield before striking back with her staff.

“You’re mine!” Lucina counterattacked her opponents with her Parallel Falchion.

Their counter-attacks had struck all fighters, including Meta Knight, Samus, and Luigi who all were going to strike from the air. The power from their counter was strong enough to send every single one of them off the stage. Because all competitors had taken much damage, the knockback from Palutena and Lucina’s counter engendered each of them to cross the invisible barriers on both sides of the Big Battlefield.

All but them had one life remaining. The tides of the battle have shifted. The audience around the city had gasped in shock and amazement as the goddess and her swordswoman had turned a dire situation into their favor. Many were impressed by how they overcame that obstacle without losing their second life while some believed that counter moves were cheap and lame. The Smashers were impressed by what had transpired, making them commend the couple for changing the tides of battle.

“YES!” Robin exuberantly exclaimed as she pumped her fists in the air, startling Dark Pit this time. “That’s my girl, Lucy!”

“YEAH!” Pit excitedly jumped up from his seat while pumping his right arm in the air simultaneously with Robin. “Lady Palutena is so smart! She’s going to win this with Lucina!”

“I know, right?!” The female tactician rhetorically asked the white angel, agreeing with his statements. “They just can’t mess it up.”

“There’s no way they’re going to mess it up. Everyone is going to be desperate on killing Lady Palutena and Lucina, so they can take advantage of that.”

“The only difference is that Palutena and Lucina are facing against six other competitors in this match,” the male tactician spoke up as he was observant on how each fighter was fighting. “They have to be aware of where all six of their opponents are at the moment. One mistake can lead to their downfall.”

“It’s not like they got lucky,” Robin said, still feeling the exciting rush of her body from watching the match.

“I’m not saying that,” the Avatar attempted to explain his previous statement. “I am merely saying that they have to be very careful from this point because everyone is now fighting for their lives.”

“I won’t disagree there.”

“It’s not like Lady Palutena and Lucina are being targeted,” Pit claimed which most of everyone in the group seemed to be in agreement with him.

“I beg to differ,” the male tactician disagreed.

“How so?”

“Have you guys noticed that Meta Knight seemed to be attacking mostly Palutena compared to everyone else?”

“I’m not sure where you’re getting at this,” the dark angel added to the conversation. “He just happens to be where she is, so it makes sense, wouldn’t it?”

“It would have been but,” he slowed down his statement to emphasize his point. “Meta Knight seems to go after her even when he was across the stage from her. There was at one point where Link tried to assist his teammate in a team combo on Palutena, but he pushed Link away and settled it on his own. It’s as if he has some grudge against her.”

Hearing the male mage’s explanation made sense to Pit and Dark Pit. Meta Knight was targeting Palutena for a reason, but the angels could not figure out his motive.

“The only thing that I don’t get is how could Meta Knight dislike Lady Palutena?” Pit felt uneasy at the sight of someone not having a positive attitude towards his goddess. “Everyone respects Lady Palutena. It’s hard for anyone to hate her for who she is.”

“If anything,” his doppelganger added. “It would make more sense if he targeted Lucina. I thought she rejected him for her.”

“You’re right, Pittoo. Who else knows about Lucina and Lady Palutena more than anyone else?”

Pit, Dark Pit, and the Avatar all shifted their eyes to Robin who was still watching the match. She then turned her head to see her friends gazing at her from the conversation. The minute she heard Pit’s question, Robin acknowledged that she was not going to escape being part of the discussion.

“Guys,” she deadpanned as the others were expecting an answer to their question. “I’m watching an important match.”

“Robin,” Pit got a little impatient as he was curious to know Meta Knight’s aggression towards Palutena. “Can you at least tell us about this situation? You know Lucina and she tells you everything.”

“Really, guys? During this time right now?” Robin felt irritated by what she was hearing as the guys all nodded. Knowing that she could not completely focus on the match, she gave in. “Ugh, fine. I’ll tell you.”

Robin then ended up explaining the entire situation between Lucina, Palutena, and Meta Knight. She eventually told them how her best friend managed to find her answer after being lost in the dark for some time. “So, Meta Knight had a different view on her after Lucy expressed that she still had feelings for Palutena and wanted to get back with her. While he still ‘respects’ her, he makes an unfunny joke that messing up in the competition would lead them to break up again like last time. My guess is that he has a grudge towards Palutena because she was the one who took what Meta Knight believed was his: having a romantic relationship with Lucina.”

“I can’t believe he go out his way to act all aggressive towards Lady Palutena because she and Lucina love each other,” Pit felt shocked to hear what Robin was saying. He never expected the Star Warrior’s motive to be something like that.

“What makes it worse is that Palutena was _accepting_ that Lucina could have moved on with Meta Knight and while trying to improve herself,” Robin added, feeling a little heated just by talking about it. “Meta Knight, on the other hand, then had a different, probably negative view of Lucy after he heard that she wanted to get back with Palutena. It just shows who has better character.”

“I understand your frustration,” her male counterpart said after listening to everything his female tactician had explained. “It’s understandable to be upset if someone you like rejects you for someone else. To be fair, Lucina did like him while they talked but never had those same feelings she had with Palutena. The only thing that bothers me is that Lucina never said or treated Meta Knight poorly to a point where he would have a changed point of view. It was when she wanted to give her goddess another chance.”

“I’m telling you guys,” Robin wanted to say one more thing before watching the final. “Meta Knight may be a formidable swordsman with honor, but he is something else beneath that mask.”

As the battle continued on, Palutena and Lucina did their best to hold on to their second stock while dealing more damage to their opponents. After all six fighters respawned onto the stage, only Samus, Zelda, Mario, and Luigi went after Palutena and Lucina.

“Meta Knight,” the Hylian swordsman said to his teammate, feeling concerned for his teammate before getting back into the fray. “What is up with you today?”

“There is nothing wrong with me,” the Star Warrior responded, suppressing his feelings from Link.

“When you pushed me away earlier,” he mentioned when Meta Knight shoved him in order to continue attacking the goddess on his own. “That was unlike you. What’s wrong?”

“This is not the time to discuss,” he refused to answer his partner’s question. “That is something no one needs to know.”

Link closed his eyes, acknowledging that it was something personal that he did not want to get into. They both descended through the platforms to fight.

Palutena and Lucina separated themselves in order to circumvent getting trapped together in team combos. Samus and Zelda went after Lucina while Mario and Luigi fought against Palutena. The red plumber charged his F.L.U.D.D at center stage while his brother threw fireballs to keep themselves at a safe distance. As soon as Mario finished charging up, he immediately used it, pushing his brother towards the goddess. Despite the greenette reflecting the green projectiles with her rectangular barrier, Luigi barely took any damage from his own fireballs before being behind her. He grabbed her from behind and held onto her. His brother ran and stopped right in front of Palutena before stepping back and releasing a palm thrust that produced a small explosion. It was easily powerful enough for the goddess to lose her second stock.

Meanwhile, Samus took the lead as she shot several paralyzing energy blasts. Lucina negated the projectiles with her lunging upward slashes. Then the bounty hunter unfurled a whip of plasma by being nowhere close to the Ylissean. The bluenette ran as fast as she could to grab the blonde, but Zelda descended from the platform above and grabbed her from behind. She magically spun Lucina and turned around with her in tow before throwing her away offstage. Samus quickly ran past them and waited until her princess timed the throw meticulously. Then she executed a 720° Ce Kong Fan jump and was above the swordswoman. Samus then performed a downward diagonal flying kick, perfectly hitting Lucina and sending her to the invisible barrier underneath the stage. Her second stock was gone.

All competitors have one last life remaining. It was now or nothing. Palutena and Lucina returned to the stage, waiting to drop down while everyone else was fighting each other.

“Lucina,” the goddess looked at her swordswoman. “This is it. Let’s not get nervous here. Whether or not the outcome looks bleak, we gave it our all, so let’s go out with a bang.”

“The future is not written,” the Ylissean said, determined to win the match. “We will challenge our fate and make our own future together.”

Both women dropped below, passing through the platforms to enter the fray. Lucina saw Mario charging his F.L.U.D.D and landed behind him. She expected him to attack, which she guessed correctly. The red plumber attempted to head-butt from where he was standing, but the future princess took a step back to escape before running back in. She performed two dancing sword strikes before finishing it off with a flurry of low-angled thrusts. Mario got back up to launch a stream of water to push back Lucina who jumped and air-dodged through to avoid getting pushed back. The bluenette then proceeded to grab the plumber with her left hand. She kneed him twice before body slamming him with her free arm. Lucina followed up with a downward slash. Luigi then was underneath her and kicked her in a bicycle motion. He quickly followed up with a dropkick to push her away from his brother. Meta Knight flew in to intercept the green plumber who was guarding his brother. He executed a series of spinning outward slashes. As the first two hits connected on Luigi, the Star Warrior dragged him down onto the ground floor, which made the younger brother land on the ground without rolling away. Meta Knight crouched and struck his Galaxia blade forward to force Luigi into a reset state. Mario quickly ran to stop the Star Warrior but Link used his Hookshot to pull the red plumber close to him. The Hylian waited until Meta Knight was ready to respond. When the Star Warrior performed his dash kick, Link was already pinning and elbow dropping Mario. The blonde swordsman swung his Master Sword in an overhead arcing slash, catching Luigi as well. Meta Knight swiftly spun himself rapidly and trapped the brothers in a tornado. The damage he was giving put both of them at risk of elimination. He was moving them to the right side of the stage. After ending his Mach Tornado, he drifted towards the stage and onto the right platform on the second level. Link ran towards the plumbers and delivered two alternating, spinning outward slashes to send them further offstage. Both brothers drifted below the ledge to ensure safety from getting edge-guarded. Luigi then rapidly spun himself around in a series of discus clotheslines and spinning back fists to rise up closer to the ledge. However, Link had executed his Down Thrust move with the tip of the sword contacting the green plumber. Mario saw his brother getting meteor smashed, so he used his jump and bicycle kicked his brother to save him. However, Meta Knight flew down towards them and swung his blade at both of them in a downward arcing motion. He quickly followed up with fanning slashes to push them further away. The Star Warrior then Shuttle Looped his way back onto the ledge, waiting for the brothers’ attempt to recover. Mario performed his jumping uppercut but was not enough for him to grab the ledge. Luigi tried to execute his jumping uppercut, but it barely had hit his brother. He, too, was close to grabbing the ledge. This time, Meta Knight reacted in time to hit both brothers with his spinning outward slashes before Mario could repeat the same move. After they got hit, Link leaped both to where both plumbers were and had thrust his sword downward, meteor smashing both of them to the invisible barrier below the stage.

“Mario and Luigi,” an announcer’s booming voice said on the stage and across the screens of many audiences. “Defeated.”

Their run had ended at fourth place.

Meanwhile, the others fought for a bit and took decent amounts of damage. Palutena shot several orbs of light to Zelda who then used her Nayru’s Love to deflect the projectile back to the goddess. However, Lucina ran in front of her girlfriend and shielded to protect her goddess. Afterward, Lucina ran towards the Hylian. This time, Samus jumped over Zelda from behind and landed in front of her. She then aimed her Paralyzer downward, forcing the bluenette to a halt. Lucina shielded as the bounty hunter charged her Paralyzer. Zelda had cast Din’s Fire towards the swordswoman. But then, Palutena raised her shield to emit a rectangular barrier to reflect the projectile to Samus. The blonde woman was hit, and the Ylissean did a lunging outward slash to launch her opponent away from her. Zelda then went for a grab, but the greenette fired more reticles, stunning the brunette and keeping her girlfriend safe. Lucina went for a lunging downward slash, sending the brunette onto the left side of the stage.

As Lucina ran towards Samus and Zelda, Palutena was grabbed from behind by Meta Knight. He gave had an indignant expression towards the goddess and continuously struck her with the talons on his cape’s wings as hard as he could. Lucina turned around and saw her goddess was caught by the Star Warrior, so she ran towards them to help. However, Samus flip jumped onto the middle platform of the first level, dropped down after landing on the edge, and grabbed the future princess with her Plasma Whip. She threw her back with her mid-level roundhouse kick, which the Hylian princess performed a flying kick that created a burst of magic when her kick contacted Lucina.

Link was behind his partner, waiting for another team setup they had practiced that was guaranteed death. Strangely enough for him, the Star Warrior threw Palutena forward by his bicycle kick.

“You’re doing it again!” The blonde swordsman upsettingly shouted as he tried to assist his teammate.

Unfortunately, Samus activated her Jet Boots to perform a jet-propelled knee strike. She then followed up with a butterfly kick-styled scissor kick. Because Zelda was fighting Lucina, the bounty hunter decided to take on Link by herself. Meta Knight continued with his strings of upward arc slashes. At the fourth swing, Lucina swung her Falchion in an upward arcing motion as well. However, the Hylian princess jumped behind the Ylissean and spun her outstretched, magically-infused arms to put more damage to her. Then, Palutena fought back by delivering a downward roundhouse kick on Zelda. The princess was sent onto one of the platforms and had bounced off from it. Zelda thought that Palutena or Lucina were going to follow up, so she preemptively air-dodged to escape. However, Palutena caught that and unleashed a cyan beam, sending the Hylian princess upward and crossing the invisible barrier.

“Zelda, defeated.” The sound of her girlfriend losing her match caused Samus to turn around and see that the goddess had defeated her.

“You’re dead now,” she softly yet angrily said as she headed towards Palutena to retaliate. However, Link threw a bomb at her and followed up with two alternating, spinning outward slashes. Because she took lots of damage from the battle, she was sent far left to the stage. However, it was not enough to defeat her. She flip-kicked and threw out her Plasma Whip to hook onto the ledge and recovered safely.

Meanwhile, Lucina and Palutena trapped the Hylian swordsman. He could jump to escape, but it would still leave him in disadvantage because either woman could catch his jump with an attack. However, Meta Knight flew behind Palutena again to attack. This time, the goddess knew he was going to go after her, so she slammed him with her blue shield. Samus jumped from the ledge and drifted closer to Link to execute another 720° Ce Kong Fan jump. The swordsman tried to swing his blade at Palutena, but Lucina swung her Falchion downward to prevent that. Samus’s kick had contacted Link, which sent him diagonally upward across the right side of the stage. Thinking that he had lost, the Ylissean rotated her body to perform an upward slash behind herself, sending the blonde woman to her goddess. Palutena jumped under Samus and twirled while emitting her halo. The power of her halo was strong enough that Samus crossed the invisible barrier above.

“Samus, defeated.”

Meta Knight returned to the stage to swing his Galaxia in a fanning motion to Palutena. However, the future princess repeated the same move to push the Star Warrior off the stage.

“Just one more, Lucina,” Palutena was getting excited as she and her swordswoman were on the verge of winning the tournament. They regrouped at the center of the Big Battlefield.

“We can do this,” the bluenette also felt exuberant about winning a major tournament. That was until she sensed something strange. Lucina believed that there was someone else who was still in the competition. She was correct as she heard Link’s running footsteps getting closer. The sound was coming from behind her and the goddess. Link was about to perform his surprise Jump Attack on the greenette. Realizing that her woman was unaware of him, Lucina panicked. “Palutena! Watch out!”

Lucina ran past her goddess who also turned back to see Link still alive in the competition. She pushed Palutena back in order to avoid the Hylian swordman’s mighty strike. The Ylissean swung her Falchion forward at the exact moment when Link struck Lucina with his Master Sword. Both fighters were hit and were sent in opposite directions. Because both fighters took heavy damage, Lucina and Link ended up breaking through the invisible barriers, finishing their match.

“Lucina and Link, defeated.”

“Lucina, you saved me,” Palutena felt ashamed for letting her guard down because it engendered her swordswoman to lose all of her lives. “I should’ve taken that hit.”

She then saw Meta Knight who got off the ledge and stared at Palutena.

“So this is how it all ends,” he said as he swung his Galaxia in front of him to intimidate the goddess. “I’ll gladly defeat you and take back what is rightfully mine.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Palutena tightly gripped her staff and took a step back as her battle stance. “I’ll defeat you for my princess.”

The final two fighters remained. One will come out the victor. Who will it be: Palutena or Meta Knight?


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Lucina found herself on the teleportation pod after losing all three of her stocks. She stepped out and saw the other competitors who had been defeated in the final. The Ylissean then saw Samus and Zelda near the lounge where Robin and the others congregated at. She walked towards them.

“You performed very well, Lucina,” the Amazonian woman smiled at the bluenette.

“Thank you,” Lucina appreciated Samus’s praise to her. “I only wished that I countered Link’s attack instead of us both getting hit.”

“What you did back there,” Zelda said, thinking back at the Ylissean’s actions to save her goddess before losing her final life for it. The brunette grinned brightly because Lucina went her way to sacrifice herself to keep Palutena in the battle. “It was so romantic.”

“Romantic?” Lucina sounded bewildered by Zelda’s statement as she furrowed her eyes. “I did what anyone else would have done in a team’s final.”

“I disagree,” the Hylian princess pressed on. “No one would have expected Link to attack from behind when you guys thought he lost his third stock. I can’t help but think about how you pushed your girlfriend away from Link just so you can take the hit instead of her. Palutena is lucky to have a wonderful girlfriend like you.”

Lucina’s cheeks were deep red by the thought that she protected Palutena at the cost of her final life. It was subtle, but it meant something to the bluenette. “Thank you. Now, I pray that she wins this.”

“Palutena is going to win this for you,” Samus said before looking at the screen.

The Ylissean turned back and saw that her goddess fighting against Meta Knight. This was a fight between a Star Warrior who had feelings for her and a goddess who loved the swordswoman. This fight was for Lucina regardless of whoever was remaining in the competition. She clenched her left fist and placed it on her chest.

“Please win this for me, Palutena,” Lucina thought to herself, not wanting anyone else to hear her thoughts at the moment. “I know you told me that as long we give it our all, we should be proud of how far we’ve come. You can’t let Meta Knight defeat you.”

“Lucina,” Zelda walked up closer to the Ylissean and placed her left hand on the bluenette’s right shoulder. “Do you want to watch the match with Robin? She’s in the lounge room, which is close to us.”

“No,” the future princess bluntly said as her eyes were still glued to the large screen she was spectating. “I prefer to watch this on my own.”

“I understand,” the Hylian looked at Samus, signaling to leave Lucina alone. They ended up walking away from where they could spectate at the white room but nowhere near the swordswoman.

Palutena and Meta Knight moved around, waiting for an opening so that one of them could push their advantage. After several seconds of moving around in the neutral, Palutena shot a few reticles from her staff. Meta Knight took a couple of steps back to avoid getting hit by the projectiles. He quickly wrapped his cape around himself and disappeared. The greenette was confused and had to be careful for a split second. Then the Star Warrior teleported behind the goddess and unleashed a powerful slash. Fortunately, Palutena shielded the attack at the precise moment his Galaxia blade struck. She telekinetically clinched him and conjured three bursts of light for damage. Her next move was pushing him forward. Palutena flew towards the Star Warrior who was on the middle platform of the first-level. As she leaped towards him, Meta Knight swung his Galaxia in a fanning motion to push back Palutena. He swiftly flew down to the ground floor and waited for the goddess to attack. However, she jumped away to the right platform on the first level to keep her distance away from him. Unfortunately, Meta Knight quickly flew under that platform and jumped to swing his sword in an upward arc motion. He struck with the same move twice before performing a cartwheel slash to send her offstage. Meta Knight then stood on the platform where Palutena previously attempted to land, assessing how the goddess tried to get back onto the stage. The greenette noticed where Meta Knight was and immediately decided to play safe by warping to the ledge. As she hung on, the warrior had not moved from where he stood. Palutena assumed that she was safe and rolled back onto the stage. Before she knew, Meta Knight dropped down and reached out with his free hand for a grab. He continuously jabbed her with the talons on his cape’s wings. Palutena tried her best to escape but the Star Warrior’s grip was extremely tight, leaving her incapable of breaking out. He then laid the goddess behind himself, warped, and then slashed her back. The greenette was offstage again. She tried to mix her recovery by jumping to the platforms. However, Meta Knight leaped to where she was going and slashed her in a fanning motion again to keep her at disadvantage state.

“He knows where I’m going,” Palutena thought to herself as she drifted closer underneath the ledge. She then teleported to the ledge and stayed there until she could figure out a way back to the stage. “I won’t be beaten that easily.”

Meta Knight stood at roll distance from the ledge. He was waiting for Palutena to go for a defensive option. His eyes were immensely focused on the goddess for two reasons. One was winning a major tournament. The second was him stopping at nothing to defeat Palutena because she, to him, stole Lucina from him. Meta Knight believed that he still could impress the Ylissean and win her back.

Palutena got up from the ledge, hoping that she could fight. However, Meta Knight quickly flew to her and grabbed her. He performed the Fury Stomp based on Kirby’s Suplex ability for a combo starter. The next move was a quick series of outward spinning slashes. The power from his attack was surprisingly strong and sent Palutena dangerously far. Miraculously, she did not contact the invisible barrier, relieving Lucina, Robin, and Pit from being melancholy. The goddess had to jump in hopes of getting back onto the stage. She then had teleported to the ledge once again. This time, Meta Knight dropped down to the ledge to grab at the same time she was occupying it. Because the Star Warrior immediately went to grab the ledge after Palutena did, the goddess was forced off, leaving her vulnerable for another attack. Meta Knight jumped from the ledge and executed another series of spinning outward slashes on Palutena, pushing her further away from the stage. Because he used the same move, the power had slightly weakened, making it less effective on killing Palutena’s final stock. Meta Knight, strangely, was not returning to the stage; instead, he flew further away from the stage and went straight for the greenette. The emerald-haired goddess was astounded that he was going aggressive against her. At the same time, it made sense since he coveted a victory, especially if it was against Palutena. She jumped to go over the masked swordsman. However, he used his fourth jump to catch the goddess’s jump. He went for the same attack from before.

Robin and Pit were on the edge of their seats, absolutely focused on the match. When Meta Knight read Palutena’s jump, they were both extremely terrified that the greenette had lost the match. Lucina’s eyes were attached on the large screen in the white room. The bluenette was trepidatious that her lover had lost the match. She closed her eyes preemptively, thinking that it was all over.

However, the announcer did not say that the match was over.

Lucina looked back at the screen to see that Palutena had air-dodged while jumping to escape Meta Knight’s aggressive option. Afterward, her goddess had teleported to the ledge and returned to the stage safely while the Star Warrior followed through. The future princess took a huge sigh of relief that Palutena was still in the competition. The chances of winning her first major tournament were still within her grasp. It was all up to her girlfriend to deliver the decisive blow.

Palutena kept her distance from the ledge at almost the precise space when the masked swordsman did just moments ago. Meta Knight got up normally. She reacted to his option by telekinetically twirling her staff in front of her. The range was far enough for the swordsman to resort to shielding her attack thus keeping her safe from any more of Meta Knight’s offensive approaches. He was sent away from the stage. This time, the Star Warrior flew upward for safety. The greenette leaped towards him and attempted to kick him. However, Meta Knight disappeared and reappeared on the highest platform. Palutena retained her distance and dropped down to the ground floor of Big Battlefield. She then flew towards the center stage for stage control. Meta Knight remained on the higher platforms for some time to force the goddess to approach since he was leading the match. Eventually, she slowly made her way up to the higher platforms. Palutena was on the first-level platforms, waiting to see where the Star Warrior was located. She then hopped to the left platform of the second-level since the masked swordsman was on the opposite side of the platform.

“Come fight me, if you can put up a fight,” Meta Knight called out the goddess as he slashed his Galaxia twice before pointing it to himself to taunt her.

“Then don’t be scared to come at me,” Palutena retorted as she took her right foot back while her front body was facing to the side. She then raised her left hand and gestured the Star Warrior to come at her.

Then, both fighters flew towards each other. Meta Knight had swung his blade in a fanning motion while Palutena telekinetically spun her staff around her. Because their moves were multiple-hitting, neither one had taken damage from each other’s attack. Her staff and his Galaxia collided with each hit of their weapon. They were pushed back by the collision of their weapons. This time, they were at opposite platforms on the first level. Both fighters flew towards each other again. Meta Knight was above the middle platform while Palutena landed on that girder. She kneeled down and telekinetically twirled her staff overhead. The Star Warrior swung his sword in a downward arc while maintaining his flight. Again, both of their weapons collided with each other as neither player took damage. However, Palutena had to grab her staff after using that attack, creating an opening for the masked swordsman. He then quickly descended and landed in front of her. The Star Warrior proceeded to grab her. The greenette was expecting more pummels from him. However, he did not; he simply gave a despairing yet indignant look at her.

“How could you take someone that made me happy?” Meta Knight asked her with his grip holding onto the goddess as tight as he could.

“W-what?” Palutena stammered as she attempted to escape his grasp, a bit confused by the question he was asking. “I don’t understand.”

“Don’t act like you have no idea what is going on when it is clear that you do,” he then threw her forward by bicycle kicking her. Meta Knight immediately followed up with his Shuttle Loop, which was not strong enough to send her high above the stage. However, it gave him stage control and the advantage again.

“He’s still hung over that Lucina chose me over him,” the greenette thought as she prudently descended back onto the stage. The Star Warrior landed the closest platform he could drift towards and swung his Galaxia in an upward arc several times, attempting to put Palutena in the air. However, Palutena had teleported to the opposite side of the platform where Meta Knight was and landed there safely. “Maybe, I could try to talk to him.”

The masked swordsman disappeared and reappeared to the middle platform of the first-level. The goddess dropped down to the left platform just across where the warrior was. She then fired several energy orbs at him, which he ended up getting hit. Palutena followed up by flying towards him and hoping to land a hit. Unfortunately, she was not fast enough as Meta Knight flew away. The goddess resumed chasing him until they met at the second-highest platforms. She disappeared and reappeared behind the Star Warrior who landed to recover his wings. Palutena attempted to quickly grab him. However, Meta Knight walked a step away and turned around, giving him enough space to dodge Palutena’s grab. He crouched and had thrust his Galaxia. The greenette fell back and off the platform. She landed on the platform below with her back, stunning her for a brief moment before Meta Knight came down and walked towards her. Palutena swung her staff behind and then in front of herself before getting up. Sadly, the masked swordsman shielded the attack at the exact moment she contacted her staff onto his temple. He then grabbed her again. It was the same thing that happened from before. Meta Knight did not attack while grabbing; he was still staring at her.

“What does Lucina see in you?” He asked in a more envious tone.

“You’re still hurt from that, aren’t you?” Palutena asked, trying to sympathize and understand the Star Warrior.

“Answer me,” Meta Knight then proceeded to lay her behind him, warped, and then slashed her back. “How could Lady Lucina ever have eyes for you? There’s nothing you two have that make you two well together.”

Palutena drifted carefully and landed on the right platform of the first-level to keep her distance away from Meta Knight. She then saw him fly towards her and swung his blade in a series of spinning outward slashes. The goddess managed to block the attack with her blue shield. As she tried to go for a grab, the masked swordsman slowly drifted away from the greenette after failing to land a hit. Instead, she ran and rammed him with her blue shield, which ended up hitting Meta Knight. He was launched diagonally upward, but it was not strong enough to take his final life. She now had stage control. Her next move was teleporting back and forth on the second-highest platforms to force Meta Knight to think about where to land. He decided to go for the right side of the ledge to keep himself at far range from the goddess. Palutena then ducked through the platforms to land on the center ground stage. The Star Warrior made it back to the stage with no problems. He and Palutena faced each other for a second before Meta Knight flew straight towards her. The greenette was prepared to counter any attack he may perform. Before she knew it, he disappeared. Palutena turned around and saw Meta Knight’s cape appear behind her. He swung his Galaxia outward. However, the goddess reacted in time and guarded the attack with her staff. Both of their weapons collided once again.

“You want to know why Lucina loves me?” Palutena asked as she held on against the masked swordsman’s sheer force.

“Yes,” Meta Knight attempted to push the goddess back, but Palutena’s strength kept both of them still. “I don’t understand how Lucina can ever be attracted to you.”

“I’ll admit,” the greenette managed to push the Star Warrior back, resetting the neutral game between the two. “At first, I wasn’t attracted to her when she had a crush on me.”

Meta Knight flew above the goddess and swung his blade in a downward arc five times. Each slash was blocked by Palutena’s staff. After he landed, he swung his Galaxia outward. However, the greenette intercepted the attack with her staff.

“Then how?” He asked, still unable to comprehend the bond that Palutena and Lucina had. “What did you two have in common?”

“It’s not about that,” the goddess answered back. “If I had to say why I’m in love with Lucina is because how she never looked me down. She knew I was a goddess, but she never regarded me that every time we were together. Lucina and I want to look out for each other and the people we care for. Lucina always thought of me as someone who can give everything to make her happy.”

Palutena then conjured up her ethereal wings before flapping them at the Star Warrior. However, Meta Knight rolled back to dodge the attack. He then swiftly flew to her for a dash kick. Unfortunately, the goddess rolled towards him to avoid the attack.

“But you called her a clone,” he argued, bringing up the moment that led to their breakup. Meta Knight flew towards her once again and tried to slash her in a fanning motion. As same as before, the greenette had blocked the attacks before holding her ground against his Galaxia. “If you had those feelings for her, then you would not have insulted her with such a derogatory term. Then you treated her poorly during the tournament. How can you say you can give Lady Lucina happiness when you’ve hurt her?”

“You’re wrong,” Palutena calmly refuted back. “You know that insulting Pit is something that I don’t take very lightly. He’s done so much from my world that I can’t imagine what I do without him. I need him. No one else could replace the amount of love and care that he has for me and his willingness to protect the ones he loves.”

“That doesn’t mean it justifies you calling Lady Lucina such a disgusting word,” Meta Knight proceeded to walk closer to Palutena.

“That may be true,” the goddess admitted as she stood firm where she was at. “Mistakes always happen in relationships. No relationship can survive without its problems. Lucina and I overcame those problems. We’re much better than we were before.”

Palutena had thrust her staff forward to emit a blast of light from the staff’s orb. The masked swordsman then disappeared and reappeared behind her. She then flew back for a grab. However, the Star Warrior flapped his wings to pull him away from the greenette, making her miss her grab. Meta Knight then swung his Galaxia in an outward motion.

“But this is mistake will never recover for you and Lucina.”

The goddess was struck, getting launched very far away from the stage. The knockback of his slash got everyone on the edge of their seats.

Robin threw her right fist on one of the arms of the couch she sat and expressed anger that the greenette got hit by Meta Knight’s strongest slash. Pit appeared devastated. His eyes showed hopelessness because he believed that his goddess had lost the match because she missed a grab. Meanwhile, a swordswoman was at the white room.

“NO!!” Lucina screamed in horror as she witnessed her girlfriend getting hit by Meta Knight’s powerful strike. Her cry caused the other competitors to look at her. She did not care if they stared at her. The Ylissean then closed her hands together, praying that Palutena could still survive the attack.

Her prayer came true. The announcer had not said anything just seconds after the goddess was hit. Palutena miraculously managed to survive Meta Knight’s slash. He was astonished that the emerald-haired goddess did not lose her life from his attack. Even Palutena was surprised that she was able to escape the invisible barrier behind her. She then recovered without any problems because the Star Warrior was afraid of making a mistake that could cost his final stock. Palutena took notice of his fear and was ready to use it against him. She flew towards him without any plan on what to do afterward. The masked swordsman had glided up onto the second-level platforms to avoid the goddess’s range. Palutena chased after him until she stood onto the middle platform below the level where Meta Knight was located. She fired three reticles from her staff. The Star Warrior managed to escape the projectiles but remained flying around the platforms above Palutena.

“I have one shot at this,” Palutena thought to herself as she decided to jump up to the left platform of the second-level. “I’m going to win this for you, Lucina. I’ll swear it.”

Palutena then took a major risk and hoped it would work out in her favor. She had teleported to the opposite side of the platform where Meta Knight landed. He did not expect the goddess to aggressively approach her, so he retaliated by slashing his blade inward. However, he swung too early before Palutena appeared in front of him. She had thrust her staff to him once before ramming him with her shield. Meta Knight was launched upward. As he descended towards the stage, the greenette remained where she stood, waiting for the Star Warrior to potentially land on one of the platforms. In the end, he went for the ledge to prevent her pressure in the air. Once he had his hand on the ledge, he immediately rolled onto the stage because he thought Palutena was nowhere near him. Unfortunately for him, the goddess had teleported twice as he was recovering: once going to the platform below and the other to the middle platform of the first-level. Because she was on the edge of the middle platform, she instantly dropped down to face the masked swordsman. She flew towards him. Meta Knight shielded, thinking she was going to attack him. But then, Palutena went past him and grabbed him from behind.

“There’s one thing why Lucina chose me over you,” she bluntly said to Meta Knight. “I wanted her to be happy with her choices even if she didn’t get back with me. Because you wanted yourself to be happy without considering her happiness, Lucina couldn’t reciprocate those feelings that you had for her. She wanted you to accept that she’ll make choices on her own willpower. She may not be the most perfect woman, but she’s the best thing to ever happen to me. If you can’t accept her as a whole, then you don’t deserve any part of her.”

Palutena telekinetically slammed Meta Knight onto the ground, sending him towards the middle platform of the first-level. As she flew towards his direction, Meta Knight knew he was going to get hit by her confirmed kill setup. He then attempted to escape by using his cape to disappear. Meta Knight then reappeared to the left platform of the same level, thinking he was safe. However, Palutena was underneath him and conjured up her cyan beam, striking him through the platform. The strength of her attack was powerful enough for the Star Warrior to be sent far upward.

“You won’t win that easily,” Meta Knight said, believing that he could still fight more.

He then decided to land on the highest platform because Palutena was not near there. Meta Knight used his Dimensional Cape to land onto that platform. However, the goddess already had teleported to where he was going to go. She then conjured her ethereal wings before flapping at him. The knockback of the attack launched him far right of the stage. Meta Knight felt like he took a hard beating from that single attack. He felt the fear that the velocity he was going was not slowing down.

His body then crossed the invisible barrier.

“Game!” The match was over. The tournament had been active for so long that it felt surreal that it came to an end. “The champions of the Super Smash Brothers Smash-thlon tournament are Palutena and Lucina!”

Roars and cheers erupted by the many people from many audiences around the city and the stadium. They could not believe what they had witnessed. It was an intense final between the favorite and the underdog. In the end, Palutena and Lucina pulled off one of the most miraculous wins in the history of Super Smash Brothers. No one had expected them to win the tournament. Struggling to cope with their breakup, they were profoundly affected by it and were on the brink of elimination in the earlier rounds. However, reconciliation helped them barely survive. Then, the Ylissean and the goddess got back together again and had suddenly performed significantly better until the very end.

“We really won the tournament. Oh my,” the greenette was astonished that she had won the tournament for her girlfriend. She dropped her staff, fell to her knees, and covered her mouth with both of her hands to express how unbelievable it was that she had won a major tournament.

“YEAH!!” Robin, Dark Pit, and Pit all shouted the same phrase and cheered together by hugging and hopping with each other.

“Lady Palutena, you are the best!” Pit hollered with such positive energy.

“I’m so happy that I won’t stress this badly anymore!” The female tactician shouted feeling relieved that the match had ended. She could have passed out if her condition did not change during the tournament.

“Yeah! That was a spectacular show!” The male Robin pumped his fists in the air, feeling exuberant by the match he had spectated. He was also joyous that Lucina won a tournament with the woman she loved. The male tactician saw that everyone else was hugging and cheering with each other, so he shrugged his shoulders and joined them.

Lucina had water on her eyes but tears did not run down her face. Although she felt like she was going to cry tears of joy, she never did. The bluenette was overjoyed that her goddess had won the tournament with crucial plays that led to their victory. Lucina closed her hands together and just had to jump a little to express her excitement over her girlfriend’s win. Samus and Zelda were also exultant that Palutena and Lucina had won one of the biggest tournaments held to date. They truly earned that title.

“Congratulations, Lucina,” Zelda hugged the swordswoman. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Congratulations,” Samus lightly tapped the Ylissean’s left shoulder, smiling that her friend became a champion.

“Thank you, Samus and Zelda,” Lucina now truly felt like water was coming from her eyes. “It was an honor to fight in a final against you two.”

“You were the best team out of all of us,” the bounty hunter added, not even upset at the slightest that she and Zelda finished third. “Enjoy the victory while it lasts.”

“Ooh, this is all too much for me,” the Hylian released her hug and attempted to settle herself down. “We have to celebrate your win soon.”

“Zelda,” Samus came up behind her princess and wrapped her arms. “We’ll get there eventually. Right now, let this take its time.”

Then, Palutena and Meta Knight appeared at their teleportation pods. The competitors except for Lucina walked up to the goddess to give their congratulations to her. The Star Warrior then flew towards the Ylissean, which made her a bit nervous. She was prepared to say that she was not going to be with him.

“Congratulations, Lady Lucina,” he began before closing his eyes to signal honor for the future princess. “You have done well in this tournament. I cannot express how proud I am to see you perform above expectations.”

“Thank you,” the Ylissean responded, still feeling a little anxious at how Meta Knight was going to act later. “I’m glad that my performance translates to my result.”

“The way she was fighting.”

“Come again?”

“The way Lady Palutena was fighting against me,” the masked swordsman spoke of no aversion but of respect for her, surprising Lucina. “She was fighting for you. She would never give up because you were on the line for this match. I could not put that weight on myself. It is not tantamount compared to her and myself. You could not hear, but Lady Palutena was saying how she would prove her love to you at all costs, even if it means that she’ll end up getting hurt for it. She wants you to be happy. If she does make you happy, then I am in no objection to you two as a couple. She has shown that her love to you has no limits. You deserve her and she deserves you.”

Lucina was stunned to hear those words coming from the Star Warrior who felt heartbroken by the Ylissean rejecting his heart for Palutena. She had hugged him to show the gratitude she had for him to truly understand her and the goddess.

“Thank you for understanding,” the Ylissean said with joy as she still hugged him.

“It took me time to comprehend this, but I cannot make you happy if I only satisfy myself and not with you. As long as we can be comrades, then I am glad to be that,” the Star Warrior answered back, fully accepting the reality he was facing. “If you’ll excuse me, I must make amends to my teammate.”

After breaking up the hug, Meta Knight flew away and went to his partner to apologize for his behavior in the final, which Link ended up understanding and not feeling too upset at him.

Then, Palutena faced her swordswoman and walked towards her. She signaled her to meet her outside of the white room for another private moment before the ceremony. Once outside, both women embraced each other, not wanting to ever let go. The hug was not long but felt like an eternity for them. Soon they gazed their eyes at each other.

“You performed divinely well, Palutena,” Lucina said with a bright smile.

“I won it for you,” the goddess answered back, moving her arms Lucina’s waists. “You were on the line for this match. I know what this tournament meant to you. I had to win at all costs not because you wanted to achieve your goals but to prove how much I would go to such lengths for my love for you.”

“You’ve succeeded,” the Ylissean chuckled afterward.

“I just can’t believe we won a huge tournament,” Palutena stroked the bluenette’s hair. “No one believed in us. However, we proved them wrong and did it.”

“It was quite a journey on our way there,” Lucina placed her left hand onto the greenette’s stroking arm. “I’m glad that I got to walk on that path with you.”

Palutena felt a light blush, which Lucina smiled because she found it cute. The goddess then grabbed both of Lucina’s wrists, pushed her against a wall, and pinned her wrists against it.

“P-Palutena,” the swordswoman stammered, feeling her cheeks redden by her goddess’s face being so close to her face. “Why are you doing this again?”

“Am I,” the goddess smirked as her lips were inches away from touching Lucina’s lips. “Making you uncomfortable?”

“No,” she deadpanned. “Only because I like you.”

“Aw, don’t be like that,” the greenette toyed with her girlfriend. She then rubbed her nose against Lucina’s. “I’m sorry if I keep doing this to you. I usually express my affection for you like this.”

“I can’t be upset at my goddess for giving her affection for me,” Lucina’s words made Palutena giggle and proceeded to press her lips onto the Ylissean’s lips. It was only a short, light kiss before the goddess broke off her lips. “I’ll let this go for once.”

“That’s my princess,” she pulled Lucina to hug her one more time. The bluenette felt at peace whenever she was with the goddess. Lucina embraced back and thought about a particular question. She wondered if she should ask the question before realizing that the ring was in her room. “Lucina, we should head back for our ceremony.”

“Of course.”

They returned to the white room to meet with Master Hand who instructed them to enter the teleportation pods again. Once everyone had done so, they were teleported to a stadium surrounded by a myriad of people who watched the final on Big Battlefield. At the center of the Big Battlefield, which did not have platforms for this ceremony, there was a podium for all four teams to stand on based on their results from the final. However, each team was instructed to walk up to a particular spot on the podium when Master Hand announced them that for getting a certain placing.

“Welcome and thank you to everyone who’ve tuned in to watch another fantastic Super Smash Brothers teams tournament,” the large, floating hand spoke in a booming voice. “Let’s give a round of applause to our four finalists who’ve made it to the championship round.”

Vociferous cheers erupted from the stadium. They were all satisfied that the tournament had lived up to its expectations. The sound was so loud that Lucina had to close her ears shut to prevent damage to her ears.  

“Now, it is time to hand out medals to each team,” Master Hand instructed Crazy Hand to hand out medals to every team with their respective placement. “In fourth place, the most popular brothers that you all know in love, Mario and Luigi.”

Both brothers stood onto the lowest podium stands and waved their hands to the crowd, who then cheered and clapped at them. They received bronze medals with the back engraving the tournament name, their names, and placement.

“In third-place, the fiercest team known since the third iteration of Super Smash Brothers goes to Samus and Zelda.”

The bounty hunter and the Hylian princess stood on the slightly higher stand next to the Mario brothers. They also waved their hands to the crowd who also gave them tantamount of applause. Crazy Hand handed them their third place medals.

“In second place, the two mightiest swordsmen: one wielding the evil’s bane and the one wielding the legendary sword of the galaxies is the team of Link and Meta Knight.”

The Star Warrior and the Hylian swordsman stood on the higher stand on the far left of the podium next to the first place team stand. The left, floating hand gave them their silver medals, which both men embraced honorably. Praises came from the crowd who were proud that they had made it very far in a competitive tournament.

“Finally, our champions for the Super Smash Brothers Smash-thlon tournament go to the team who managed to pull off one of the greatest Cinderella runs in history and succeeded despite expectations to be eliminated very early on. Our champions, team Palutena and Lucina!”

The goddess and the swordswoman held their hands together and stood onto the highest podium stand above all other finalists. The crowd’s cheer and applause seemed to be the loudest of them all. Lucina felt proud not because she won the tournament but because people were cheering for her. The crowd perceived the Ylissean as a strong woman who would never give up. Her future can be changed. She will challenge her fate to not just prove others wrong but herself right. Crazy Hand gave them their gold medals. Once both women wore their medals, both Master and Crazy Hand delivered the championship trophy with the Super Smash Brothers symbol on top with cylindrical support resembling the World Cup trophy. Palutena held the trophy on the left side while Lucina held it on the opposite side before lifting the trophy together.

At last, the title was theirs. Palutena had achieved her personal goal for the tournament. Lucina, while proud of achieving her goal as well, had one more agenda in her book. That time will come to her. It all depended whether the goddess says yes to her.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Approximately a year had passed since Palutena and Lucina’s victory of the Smash-thlon tournament. The goddess and the swordswoman spent their champions’ tour around the city the day after their tournament triumph. As they rode around the city and gave their speech, citizens applauded at them because of their story to the championship. It was also that day where Palutena and Lucina came out to the public that they were in a romantic relationship together. They realized two things. One was that they did not want to hide their relationship anymore. Secondly, the people needed to hear and know how they managed to pull off one of the greatest underdog stories in Super Smash Brothers history. It was an important piece of information that shaped their journey. The initial reaction from the audience was shocking gasps because almost no one knew about them. Although they were astounded, they eventually accepted the goddess and the Ylissean princess as a couple and cheered for them.

When the greenette and the bluenette returned to the mansion, they were greeted by every single Smasher. They had noticed food, drinks, and music surrounding them; it was a celebration party for Palutena and Lucina. Much to the future princess’s expectations, it was all planned by Robin who had assistance from Dark Pit, Pit, Zelda, and Samus who was dragged along by her girlfriend. The party was entertaining and enjoyable as everyone relaxed from a tournament for some time until the new season began. In addition, people now were able to interact with each other just talking about things unrelated to the competition. It was one of those nights that many will remember.

Lucina had been thinking about proposing to Palutena ever since they first shared their first kiss together behind the mansion. When they kissed for the first time, the Ylissean knew that she wanted to be with the goddess. Nothing made her happier than just spending time with Palutena. There was never a time where she lost interest in the greenette. Despite their breakup shortly after, her feelings still lurked even when Lucina tried to develop another relationship with Meta Knight in order to cope with her breakup. However, it made her feel like she was running away from her problems and tried to start new. As a result, she had hurt Palutena during that time to where the greenette resorted to drinking and broke down in tears, questioning about the existence of love. Lucina did not want to bring up the past in her argument with Palutena, but the goddess wanted to because she tried to apologize and confess that she still loved her. In the end, all that had happened in their situation, the goddess and the swordswoman got back together, and the passion they felt for each other was reignited. After the tournament and the party, Lucina really wanted to propose to her. However, she could not do it at the party that Robin organized. The reason was that she felt that the time was not right. Her fate and future were not set in stone yet. She will know when the time was right.

During the one year lapse, Palutena and Lucina continued to participate in the singles and doubles tournament for the next season. They were unable to win the singles title as Bayonetta dominated the competition in the early stages before entering the knockout phase and defeating Cloud in the finals. However, they had defended their title in the doubles tournament as they were comfortable throughout the entire competition up until the final. The championship match was between them against Bayonetta and Cloud. The latter team was automatically paired together as they were the last newcomers to the competition whereas the other team was between the male and female Corrin. The match was intense as it came down to Lucina and the Umbra Witch. In the end, the Ylissean managed to pull off another nail-biter win over the dominant duo of the witch and the soldier. As they were going to celebrate defending their title, their anniversary was also going to take place on that day. The bluenette had to ensure that the night went the way she anticipated it by having her goddess be with her alone. That would be where she would ask the question.

Palutena and Lucina were going around the city for their victory parade once again. As they were occupied, Robin was prepared for another party to organize.

“Well if it isn’t the head of the party planning committee,” the black angel teased as he walked up to his lady tactician who was sitting by herself in the commons area.

“Great, you’re here,” she nonchalantly responded as she moved her bean couch, so Dark Pit could sit next to her. “Help me sort some things out.”

“You planned this last year,” he reminded his girlfriend that organizing the party should not be as difficult as she stressed it out to be. “You can use that as a frame of reference.”

“I prefer to have a different theme,” Robin refuted as she flipped the next page of her notebook to brainstorm more ideas. “Last year wasn’t really a theme-based party since it was a traditional type of party. I want something this year to be unique.”

“I suppose,” her angel acknowledged her reasonable argument. “Got any ideas so far?”

“I _did_ ,” she emphasized the last word, leaving her with no theme. “But those ideas aren’t good.”

“It can’t be _that_ bad,” Dark Pit downplayed his lady’s statement.

Robin proceeded to show him her brainstorming notes. His face changed an expression to where he pulled lips inside his mouth, not liking the ideas he saw.

“So…” he awkwardly tried to respond to seeing Robin’s notes. “We could always just go with the usual and use the same stuff last year.”

“I told you that I’m not doing that,” the female tactician was beginning to stress out the importance of organizing a unique themed party. “I don’t know the kind of party that everyone would enjoy.”

“Beats me,” he shrugged his shoulders as he could not brainstorm an idea.

“Hey, Pittoo and Robin,” the white angel waved at the two as he walked towards them. “What are you guys up to?”

“Robin is struggling to organize a themed party for the end of this year’s Smash season,” his doppelganger spoke, which Pit realized how the female tactician was trying to not pull her hair out.

“If you can’t think of something, can I help?” Pit asked Robin, wanting to lend a hand.

“That’d be great, Pit. I appreciate that” she smiled, hoping to get something from him in order for them to actually organize something.

“Let me think of something,” the white angel tilted his head while placing the knuckles of his right hand under his chin with his left arm supporting the right arm.

“Better think quickly,” Dark Pit jokingly cautioned his doppelganger. “Robin is going to lose her mind and go ballistic on everyone.”

“Not true,” his girlfriend disagreed, lightly punching his left shoulder. “I’m only going to lose my mind and scream at you, Angel.”

Pit could not help but chuckle at how Pittoo and Robin interact. He found it adorable that they could tease each other without inflicting any harsh feelings. Afterward, he still contemplated the theme for the end of the season celebration. Soon he had one particular in mind. “I have an idea, Robin, if you’re interested.”

“Please, Pit,” the tactician was all ears to the white angel. “Tell me what you got.”

“I was actually talking to Lady Lucina recently about what her home was like,” Pit began, which the couple did not catch on what he was leading on. “I was interested about her home, Ylisse and what people’s lives were like, so I was thinking that everyone can bring some culture from their world for us to learn.”

“Pit,” Robin softly said as if she looked surprised by what the white angel had said. “That is… the best idea I’ve heard!”

“Really?” His face was beamed with glee.

“I think we got our theme: Super Smash Brothers Culture Party,” she stood and hugged Pit for coming up with a genius idea. “I should appoint you as my assistant of the committee.”

“You’re very kind,” Pit chuckled, feeling a bit awkward by hugging his doppelganger’s lady.

“Alright, boys,” she took several steps as Dark Pit stood up. “Let’s get started then.”

Robin, Pit, and Dark Pit had sent the word to every Smasher that the theme of the celebration was culture day. They sent text messages and had put out fliers around the mansion, depicting the information of the party and the requirements. Within each paper, the party’s dress code was formal wear or attire that suited for special occasions. Essentially, people had to dress nicely. Their theme was to bring anything from each Smasher’s world. It could be a history lesson, a particular item, a showing, or a performance. It all boiled down to simply bring anything from one’s own world, which counted as part of the culture theme. Other items such as food, drinks, and snacks were optional to bring but not required as Robin took care of that. Master Hand was never in charge of providing celebrations as the award ceremonies and victory parades were the only things he handled. It was up to the Smashers if they wanted to celebrate their seasons.

Palutena and Lucina returned to the mansion after their champion parade around the city. It almost resembled their triumphant run last year with the exception of the public announcement of their relationship as a couple. They enjoyed their time as they spent most of the day together. Not once did either woman felt boredom or unhappy. It all came clear for the future princess. She knew that it was time. As they entered inside their home, they gazed upon a flier that was taped on a wall to the left. After reading through it, they knew that the season-ending party was coming up, meaning it was going to take place at the end of this week.

“I can’t wait for this weekend,” the goddess excitedly said as she stretched her arms out after being in the city all day.

“I do as well,” the swordswoman agreed as she thought of what she could do for the culture themed party. “It’s a unique celebration compared to last year.”

“Robin really has outdone herself.”

“Any ideas on what you might bring, Palutena?”

“I’m not sure since we just found out,” the greenette said, expressing through her body language a contemplation of her culture idea. “I’ll have to think about it for a bit. How about you, Lucy?”

“There is one in particular,” the Ylissean said before facing her goddess. “My mask.”

“Your mask?” Palutena inquired to confirm what she heard was correct before remembering the blue object her girlfriend used to wear. “Oh, but I thought that’s something personal to you.”

“It still is,” the future princess did not deny the greenette’s statement. “People can understand my mask and the history of its usage. I know it is broken because it was split into two pieces, but I am not planning on wearing it. My purpose is to present its history.”

“If you’re comfortable with it, then go for it. I like your idea,” Palutena was not going to disagree because Lucina managed to have an idea for the party’s theme. “I still need to figure out mine.”

“I can help if you like.”

“Of course. Any help would be great,” the goddess placed her hands on Lucina’s hips and pulled her close. “Especially if it’s coming from my cute girlfriend.”

“Isn’t that what I am supposed to do as your girlfriend?” The Ylissean attempted to make a small joke, which made the greenette giggle.

“Anyways, I have to rest up, so I’ll see you tomorrow,” Palutena released her embrace and waved a goodnight to her swordswoman with a kiss on her cheek.

“Rest well, Palutena,” Lucina waved back before walking out to the backside of the mansion, looking at the tree just beyond the garden. “I won’t forget that time. It’ll not be just where we share our first kiss but also where I’ll propose to you.”

The week had passed. Robin, Pit, and Dark Pit were doing their best to prepare the essentials for a party. The white angel had contacted every Smasher who confirmed whether he or she will attend. In the end, every single one was planning on going. The venue was to be held at the mansion, but they were free to have the time of their lives without any repercussions. Dark Pit and Robin worked together on ordering and checking repeatedly that all food, drinks, plates, cups, utensils, and decorations were in place. The decorations arrived as quickly as they could. Once the adornments were ready for set up, the female tactician asked Pit to go around seeing who was willing to help them out. It ended up being Robin, the dark angel, Pit, Palutena, Lucina, Zelda, Samus, the Avatar, Peach, and surprisingly Falco. The bird was a changed person from a year ago to a point where he became friends with Robin, Dark Pit, and Lucina. It took them a few days to complete everything. The food and drinks were to be delivered on the day of the party, which was what the female tactician wanted.

It was several minutes before the sun was beginning to go down. Many Smashers arrived early to hang around before the party commenced. The food and drinks had arrived on time as Robin liked, which she had ordered the movers to place them at the largest table near the commons area. She wore a pink dress as the colors matched her pink robe. Her angel had a white and red suit and tie that resembled the alternate colors of his normal battle attire. His doppelganger wore an all-black suit, which some people mistook him for Dark Pit. Samus wore a white buttoned shirt with black dress pants and a blazer. Zelda had matching colors with her bounty hunter except that her dress was royal garments.

Lucina decided to wear a similar navy blue effortless long sleeve top she wore for one of the dates she went on with Palutena. However, this particular clothing appeared more eloquent based on its design. She also went with white dress pants while her dress shoes were black. It was simple but enough to look appropriate for the party. Right as she was about to leave her room, she unlocked the top right of her desk drawer and pulled out the small cubical container that had the ring she bought for her goddess. The bluenette made sure that it was secured inside her pocket. Lucina then picked up her broken mask and exited her room. She was to meet with Palutena at her room and knocked on her door once she arrived. The goddess wore a red outfit much like her normal attire except in different color. However, the Ylissean perceived it as a more formal wear because it looked that way.

“You look very lovely,” Lucina said, stunned to see such a gorgeous dress being worn by a beautiful goddess.

“I should also say the same to you,” Palutena intuitively grabbed her swordswoman’s right hand with her left hand. “Shall we get going?”

“Yes.”

Both women walked to the main lobby where every single person was present. They were greeted by many people as the celebration commenced. The main lobby was wide enough for everyone to not feel so crowded. While everyone was dressed appropriately, they all also brought items for the culture theme. There were stands across the entire perimeter of the lobby so people can look and learn at whoever brought what. Eventually, after getting settled and set up their presentation, Palutena and Lucina were greeted by their fellow friends.

“Lady Palutena!” Pit greeted his goddess as the two hugged. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“I wouldn’t miss this at all,” she said before giggling at her angel’s excitement.

“You’ve outdone yourself, Robin,” Lucina praised her friend for organizing another well-planned out party.

“Thanks, but the theme was all Pit’s idea,” the female tactician had to give the white angel credit, or they probably would have to resort to the usual theme.

“You’re not only a handsome hero but also a genius, Pit,” the goddess cooed, causing Pit to blush and scratch his head sheepishly.

“Well, uh, thanks, Lady Palutena,” he answered. “I wanted to help Robin as much as I could.”

“You’ve succeeded,” the mage pat his back before facing the goddess and the swordswoman again. “What did you guys bring for the culture?”

“I’ve decided to present the history of Skyworld and the major events that happened,” the greenette began first. “If you want to learn more about it, my table is across from where we are.”

“I know where I’m going,” Robin said as a way to make a joke but be serious simultaneously.

“Oh, joy,” Dark Pit sarcastically cheered before getting his arm tugged harder by Robin.

“Anyways,” she pretended to not hear her boyfriend’s comments when she clearly did. “Lucy, what did you bring?”

“I know you’re going to teach a history lesson on Ylisse,” the bluenette stated the fact before showing her broken mask to everyone. “This is what I brought.”

“Are you sure about that?” Robin inquired to ensure that her friend was comfortable talking about her past while everyone else seemed intrigued by the mask. “You don’t have to bring up something like that.”

“It’s quite alright,” the future princess admitted, gazing at the broken mask she once wore. “I’ve been hiding my identity in order to protect the future of my father and everyone else. I want to show people who I truly am. This mask bears importance, but it has also taught me to not be afraid to reveal my identity and change the future the way I shape it.”

Robin simply grinned that her best friend was able to push down one barricade of concealing her past. It was a step in the right direction. She was happy that Lucina was a much better person than she was just a year ago. Times had changed and it made her delighted that those events had occurred.

“That’s my girl,” the tactician gently tapped the bluenette’s left shoulder. “Anyways, Angel is going to teach me some Skyworld history, right?”

“Looks like it,” the dark angel played along with his girlfriend despite not having a problem with it. “We’ll see you guys around.”

Robin and Dark Pit went to across the room to gaze at the greenette’s holographic presentation of Angel Land.

“I’m going to hang out with Mario, Luigi, and their friends,” the white angel said, knowing that his goddess wanted to spend time with her girlfriend. “I’ll leave you lovebirds be.”

He departed leaving both women to laugh at the comment Pit had called them lovebirds. The party had just commenced, so they had plenty of time to do many things together. Palutena watched as several Smashers go to Lucina inquiring about her mask. As the bluenette spoke, the greenette could tell how happy her swordswoman was. People were behaving amicably towards her and gave her their congratulations for winning the tournament. After presenting the history behind her mask, Lucina ended up spectating her goddess’s lecture on the Skyworld and its history. The Ylissean was a bit surprised to hear how Palutena was articulate and professional when it came to teaching Smashers about her homeland. It made sense because Skyworld held a symbolic sentiment to her.

“Enjoying Lady Palutena’s lecture, Lady Lucina?” The white angel called to the bluenette as he walked and stood next to her.

“Yes, I am,” she responded and felt surprised that Pit addressed formality on her. It was the first time she ever heard Pit call her that. “She has told me about her homeland before, but Palutena is speaking very formally.”

“She’s very serious about her home, and I feel the same,” Pit continued as he took a quick gaze at his goddess.

“I believe anyone would,” Lucina added. “You have to protect your home along with the people you serve.”

“Very true,” the white angel then shifted his focus to the Ylissean. “You know, Lady Lucina-“

“I’m still having a hard time processing that you’re addressing me as Lady,” Lucina interrupted Pit, feeling a bit stunned to hear it the second time.

“I’m surprised you think that way,” he was slightly confused but was not going to question it. “You and Lady Palutena are together, aren’t you?”

“Of course, we are.”

“It’s just that I never have seen Lady Palutena this happy with someone she’s dating,” Pit began, signaling the swordswoman that the conversation was going to relate between her and Palutena.

“Since Zeus?” Lucina asked to confirm, thinking that she must have felt near equivalent with one of the deities.

“No, actually,” he answered back surprising the bluenette. “I really mean it when I say Lady Palutena was never this happy with someone she’s in love with.”

“Are you sure?” The Ylissean did not believe what she was hearing from Pit. Lucina made Palutena the happiest of all the people she had relationships with.

“I’m absolutely sure!” Pit confidently exclaimed. “Lady Palutena always talks to me about how you’ve made her the happiest out of all the relationships she had with other gods and goddesses.”

“What you’re inferring to me is that Palutena puts me above all the other deities she’s been with before?” Lucina wanted to express a surge of joyousness that her goddess loved her the most.

“They did not give her what you gave her: love” the Ylissean chuckled that she was able to make her goddess happy. “You know, at first, I didn’t understand how Lady Palutena would ever fall in love with a mortal like yourself.”

Lucina was still listening to Pit, knowing that he was getting serious with her.

“I then realized that love is something two people who share something so deeply for each other. That is how Lady Palutena felt towards you. If she is happy with you, then I’m happy, too. I know that everything will alright.”

“You’re right, Pit,” the future princess smiled that Pit was accepting of her relationship with Palutena. After he accepted it a year ago, he became much friendlier and nicer to Lucina and Robin to where they would hang out with him more. “Thank you for your generous words.”

“It’s a year-long overdue,” he added, prompting both of them to laugh.

“What did you bring for your culture day?” Lucina inquired the white angel’s choice.

“I made this,” the white angel presented a sculpture of a young boy with wings attached on his back. The boy’s position seemed like he was falling down towards something.

“What is it?” Her curiosity was running through her mind.

“His name is Icarus.”

“Who is Icarus?”

“Icarus is a boy who had wings attached on his back which was glued with wax,” Pit began the story as his eyes stared at his creation. “One day, he and his father were flying freely. Icarus forgot the warning his father told him, which was to not fly too close to the sun. He flew closer and closer until the wax melted and his wings fell apart. The boy then fell to the sea and drowned.”

“That’s such a tragic story,” the swordswoman initially reacted.

“There’s something about Icarus that resonates within me,” the white angel felt melancholy towards himself, which Lucina caught.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, worried that she may have offended him.

“Oh, it’s has nothing to do with you,” he put out a half smile. “It’s just that Icarus couldn’t truly fly on his own because he was restricted by his father’s command. I have wings but I can’t fly on my own. I have to rely on Lady Palutena’s power to let my fly. And when I tried to save Pittoo’s soul from the Chaos Kin, my wings was burned off from me and I nearly died saving him.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” the Ylissean felt sympathy for the white angel who smiled to appreciate her kindness. “I never knew how important flying on your own meant to you.”

“Icarus is important to me because I’m like him. I can’t fly on my own free will. I can only fly under Lady Palutena’s power. My only wish is to fly on my own. The reason is that I don’t have to rely on Lady Palutena all the time to do things that I have to do to protect my home. If I am able to fly on my own, I can put Icarus aside my past.”

“I never knew you felt that way,” Lucina felt pity and wanted to cry at Pit’s wish. “This is something I never knew about you.”

“Since we’re good friends,” hearing those words made the bluenette’s face beam, eliciting the white angel to do the same. “It’d be a good start for you to know me a little better. Plus, I trust you now. Lady Palutena trusts you, so I feel the same.”

“Thank you for your kind words,” the future princess said before bringing out her broken mask. “Because you’ve disclosed your history, I think it’s fair that I should share mine as well.”

“I’d be interested.”


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

“I wore this mask and used an alias to hide my true identity,” the bluenette began her story. Pit was focused on listening to Lucina’s story. “I went back in time going by the name, Marth, while helping my father in preventing the bad future that happened in my future.”

“So you traveled back in time to stop that from happening?” The white angel asked in order to make sense of the Ylissean’s past.

“Correct, I eventually revealed my true identity to my father and mother,” the memory of that particular moment brought a single tear to Lucina’s Mark of the Exalt eye. “We defeated Grima and changed the future I was from. I now fight as Lucina. I learned that there is no shame in hiding my identity even in times of despair. I had a purpose, and I succeeded it.”

“The mask seems like it’s a memory about yourself,” his words confused the Ylissean princess who did not seem to make sense of what Pit was saying. “I’m trying to say that it’s a reminder to not hide anymore. You managed to free yourself from the chains and pushed on to changing your future.”

“Exactly,” the swordswoman was surprised to hear that Pit was able to analyze the significance of Lucina’s mask. “Did Palutena tell you about it?”

“Sort of,” he shrugged his shoulders. “She did mention it to me before. It was amazing how you were able to go back in time to save your future.”

“It’s a piece of my past,” Lucina stared at her mask one last time before looking up. “However, it shaped me to who I am now. If I failed to change the past in order to save my future, then I would not have existed or even be here. I would never have fallen in love with Palutena.”

“I’m glad you did what you did,” Pit told to the swordswoman. “Lady Palutena would have never been where she is now if you didn’t save your world. Listening to your story, no wonder why you belong here.”

“Thank you,” Lucina sheepishly laughed as she gave a bright smile to Pit.

“And no wonder why Lady Palutena fell in love with you.”

“You’re making me blush,” her face became red and covered it with both of her hands.

“Isn’t your anniversary today?” Pit suddenly remembered that today since his goddess told him about it.

“Yes, it is,” she confirmed.

“What did you get her?”

“I cannot disclose it to you. I apologize.”

“Aw, why not?” Pit felt a bit disappointed to hear the bad news.

“Palutena is the first one to see it,” she explained while still being broad in describing her gift. “Afterward, we will tell you and the others about it.”

“That’s a deal!” He and Lucina both gave a high five. Their conversation must have taken a good amount of time because Palutena had just finished with her presentation. 

“Well, what do we have here?” The goddess rhetorically asked as she walked towards the white angel and her swordswoman. “My two favorite people are becoming best friends.”

“We’re only talking, Lady Palutena,” Pit said as he smiled at Lucina. “It was long overdue that I should get to know Lady Lucina better.”

“Well, I’m glad that things are looking progressive,” the greenette petted Pit’s brown hair, making him giggle.

“Palutena,” the bluenette called her girlfriend.

“What is it, Lucy?”

“Never mind, I’m sorry.”

Then the goddess recognized a song was requested by Mario and Peach. It was dedicated to couples only, so very few danced with their beloved ones.

“Lucina,” the greenette grabbed the bluenette’s right hand with her left hand. “May I have this dance?”

“You may certainly,” Lucina’s face was beaming with joy.

“Excuse us, Pit,” Palutena said to her warrior with a little guilt in her tone. “I’m sorry that I’m not spending time here with you. I just want to have this moment with Lucina.”

“Are you kidding?” Pit thought his goddess was overreacting. “I got to be good friends with Lady Lucina after not doing so for a year. Be happy, Lady Palutena! Dance with the woman you love. I’ll support you all the way.”

“Thank you, Pit,” she was elated that Pit had said those jovial words. It seemed like he and Robin were supporting the goddess and the swordswoman so much.

They went to the center where all the couples were at and danced slowly to the song. Lucina placed her hands behind Palutena’s shoulders so her hands intertwined while resting her head on the greenette’s chest. Meanwhile, the goddess placed her hands on the Ylissean’s sides. As the song was coming to an end, Palutena wanted to say something to her woman.

“Hey, Lucina,” she gently spoke to her ear. “Having fun tonight?”

“Yes, I am,” the swordswoman purred, feeling the warmth radiating from Palutena’s body. “Are you having a good time as well?”

“Of course,” the greenette said instinctively. “Every moment spent with you brings nothing but joy to me. You are my everything.”

Lucina had no resistance to smile at a sweet comment like that. She knew that her time was coming close, so she had to devise a plan to make everything right. “Palutena?”

“What is it?”

“We should celebrate our anniversary by ourselves,” her response piqued the goddess’s interest.

“I like that idea,” Palutena pulled Lucina closer. “When and where?”

“Behind the garden where we shared our first kiss together,” the bluenette answered back. “It’s a little early at the party. We can go later.”

“I can’t wait to see what gift you got for me.”

“As do I.”

As the party continued on, everyone was having a wonderful time. It was the moment for all fighters to relax and enjoy themselves after competing for so long. Later on, Robin went up to the center of the main lobby and stood on a small stage to catch people’s attention.

“Hey, everybody, can I have everyone’s attention please?” She spoke through the microphone as all Smashers faced the tactician. “Wow, a big crowd. Anyways, I want to thank you guys for coming out to another end-of-the-year celebration of another fine Super Smash Brothers season.”

Many cheers erupted from the crowd while others clapped as their way to give a round of applause. However, a certain someone had another microphone to gain attention as well.

“You forgot one thing,” the dark angel said as he stood across from his tactician. She was bewildered and furrowed her eyes as to why Dark Pit decided to make a speech. “We cannot forget the one person who was behind this spectacular party. Let’s give a round of applause to Robin for organizing all of this.”

Smashers then praised Robin for her commitment to planning and setting up the entire celebration.

“Aw, you guys,” she blushed and scratched the back of her head. “It’s only a party for all of us to enjoy after a competitive season.”

“But everyone has told me that this is one of the best ones they’ve had in a while,” her boyfriend said as the audience cheered in agreement with him. “You should be proud to know that this party is going to be memorable.”

“Angel, stop,” she playfully shouted a little, causing some people to cover their ears. “This is something I don’t deserve.”

“I disagree,” he walked to her and faced her close. “Robin, you went through much stress that it was getting to you mentally. Even organizing this party, you were stressing out, just like what you went through personally during the team tournament last year. A little appreciation for your work and influence on people should be recognized.”

A reasonable amount of people felt a bit emotional at how Dark Pit’s speech was giving gratefulness for his tactician. They knew that he was dating Robin and they could not help but gush at his affection for her.

Robin gently placed her lips onto the dark angel’s. He was not surprised that she would do that, but it felt nice to him. They both chuckled after kissing each other.

“You are the best angel, Angel,” Robin said as she hugged her dark angel.

“Anything for my lady,” Dark Pit said as he reciprocated the embrace.

After seeing the two display affection, Zelda grabbed Samus’s right arm and pulled her close. She was suddenly feeling the urge to display affection for her girlfriend.

“Zelda?” The bounty hunter inquired as she was bewildered by the Hylian’s sudden change in behavior. “What’s up?”

“I want you to stay the night with me,” the brunette ambiguously said, feeling a bit afraid of revealing her intentions.

“I’ll spend the night with you,” Samus responded, thinking it was just sleeping over.

“I mean more than spending the night with me,” Zelda revealed as her body language expressed seductiveness which the bounty hunter put the connections together.

“Oh,” she awkwardly said as her cheeks reddened. “Are you sure you want to go there tonight?”

“Yes,” the Hylian princess wrapped her arms behind Samus’s neck. “If Robin and Dark Pit can show how much they love each other, then I want to show you how much I love you.”

“You can be a bad princess, sometimes,” she teased before lifting her princess up bridal-style as they walked up the stairs without anyone noticing.

“I also want to give congratulations to Palutena and Lucina for winning the team tournament,” Robin spoke once again shortly after her moment with Dark Pit. The crowd clapped and applauded to the champions as they stood in front of the stage where the tactician and the dark angel were. “There is one person I want to recognize who went through a journey to where she is now. Lucina, I have something to say to you as your best friend.”

The Ylissean princess gave her undivided attention to her tactician, pondering as to what Robin could possibly say to her at this very moment.

“Lucina,” the sound of that name felt strange to the future princess since she was used to Robin calling by her nickname. Robin beamed a bright smile but had trouble letting out the words she wanted to say. “Who would’ve expected that I become best friends with you ever since we’ve arrived at this strange world?”

Both women chuckled, reminiscing how they got along despite initially Robin disliking her. The female tactician still had much to say but had to organize the thoughts in her mind so that her words were not choppy. “When I first knew that you were going to be in this competition, I felt disgusted by your appearance. I always thought you were selfish because you prioritized yourself and your family and no one else. But then, you proved me wrong on the day we teamed together for a match. You put yourself just to protect me even when you should’ve defended yourself. From there, I was wrong about you all this time. I asked for forgiveness, and you reciprocated as if everything I’ve done meant nothing.”

Robin’s voice was cracking. She felt water in her eyes but was not running down her face. Then, she wiped them with her robe before speaking again.

“Time after time, you’ve set goals for yourself. You sought to prove others wrong that you were more than that ugly word. I can’t even say it. It’s too hard to forget why I hate that word when it takes to that particular time. Even though people calling you that word from civilians to Smashers, not once did you give up on yourself. You kept fighting on. The roaring tides of hate came at you, but you never faltered like a stone on a river. When you won this tournament, I could not be any more proud of how much you’ve grown since I’ve known you as your best friend. You went from being an isolated, quiet person who rarely spoke to anyone besides the ones from our own homeland to a strong, fierce, and determined woman who would go to such lengths to achieve her goals. I’m not just glad but also joyous that this all had happened. Lucina, what you’ve had done here has touched each and every one of us. Let us raise our drinks to honor Lucina, a Ylissean, a Smasher, and a champion.”

All but the future princess had raised their drinks to commemorate Lucina for accomplishing her goals on her road to the championship. The Ylissean princess was feeling a train of emotions right now. Everyone was giving recognition and acclaim to the swordswoman for overcoming her personal obstacles and accomplishing her goals as a result. Lucina wanted to tear up because of Robin’s heartfelt speech. The tactician meant every word that she said even with or without the alcoholic drinks. The bluenette walked up to Robin and gave her a tight embrace. The female tactician hugged her back as close as she could.

“Robin,” Lucina spoke as her head rested on the side of the tactician’s head. “That was a heartwarming speech. You’ll always be my best friend. No one could be as unique as you.”

“I got your back, Lucy,” Robin quietly said back, patting the swordswoman’s back. “You know the words I say to you are always truthful.”

“Thank you.”

“So how’s the party treating you?” Robin inquired as they broke off the hug.

“I am enjoying myself,” Lucina answered back before quickly looking at the clock, seeing that it was nearly midnight. “It’s almost time.”

“What do you mean?” The tactician tilted her head in confusion. “The party is not going to end for another couple of hours.”

“I don’t mean that,” the bluenette was referring to herself and the greenette. “Palutena and I are going to celebrate our anniversary together.”

“That’s cute,” she purred, placing her hands on Lucina’s shoulders. “So what did you get her?”

“It’s a surprise,” the Ylissean princess answered carefully without giving explicit information so that Palutena was not aware of her gift. “As much as I want to disclose it to you, you’ll have to wait until then.”

“Oh Naga,” she cursed, giving a playful smirk. “I don’t know what your gift is, but I know it’s something great. You better tell me tomorrow.”

“You’ll be the first one I’ll go to.”

“Well, go to your girlfriend,” Robin turned her best friend around and pushed her towards the goddess.

“Robin,” Dark Pit came up to her and planted a short kiss on her cheek. “That was a cute speech.”

“Cute?” Robin pretended to feel offended that her speech was rather cute than emotional. However, it did not help by the fact that her cheeks were reddened by the black angel’s words. “I’ll accept your answer but only this time.”

“Looks like I dodged one of your magic spells this time,” Dark Pit smirked as he grabbed Robin’s right hand and twirled her around before bringing her close to him.

“Quite the moves you got there,” she admired that her angel had some dancing skills. Robin rested her head on Dark Pit’s chest along with her free hand. “You better keep it up, Angel.”

“Oh, I will,” he emphasized before slow dancing with his lovely tactician.

Palutena and Lucina made their way to the gardens. As they went past the scenery of flowers, a large tree was within their proximity. However, the tree where they shared their first kiss appeared different. The tree had lights hanging around the bark and up to the branches. On the sides of the tree, Palutena noticed her staff was placed upright but tilted to the left with the blue orb against the bark. Lucina’s Parallel Falchion was on the opposite side, making the scene appear symmetrical to them.

“Lucina,” the goddess was astonished to see what she was looking at. “Did… you plan this ahead of time?”

“I did,” the future princess admitted with a hint of sheepishness in her tone. “I wanted to make it special for you on our anniversary.”

“Aw, I’m touched,” the greenette placed her right hand on her chest, feeling a bit swoon that her swordswoman had set up the environment for her. “I’m amazed that you did this by yourself.”

“Actually, I had assistance from Pit,” her response surprised Palutena. “I actually asked him to help me do this.”

“I’m glad that you and Pit are becoming closer after our talk a year ago.”

“Yes, but here we are now.”

“Before we get to our anniversary gifts,” the greenette pulled out a bottle of champagne and two glasses from her bag. “Let’s take in the scenery with some drinks.”

“Sure,” even though alcohol was not her taste, Lucina wanted to spend time with her goddess.

“I know wine is not your favorite, but champagne is something you tolerate better,” she sat down and poured a glass for the bluenette.

“Very thoughtful,” Lucina said as she gazed at Palutena’s complexion as she was pouring a glass for herself. She furtively checked her pocket and was relieved that her gift was on her person.

“Raise a glass for our one year anniversary ever since we got back together,” the goddess said as both women clanked their glasses together before taking a sip. “Mmm, I sure did pick the right one.”

“It’s sweeter than I anticipated,” the Ylissean was taken aback by the flavor at first before taking another sip.

“I’m glad that you like it,” Palutena read her girlfriend’s reaction like a book before shifting to a different topic. “Robin is such a great person.”

“She truly is,” Lucina recalled her best friend’s speech earlier at the party. Each time she kept reminiscing it, the bluenette could not help but smile that the tactician had revealed her heart to her. “I sometimes wonder what if I never became friends with her. Would all of this still would have happened?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Palutena answered before taking a sip of her drink. “Would we have dated if Robin never became your friend?”

“She was the one who helped me ask you out,” the memory of the bluenette asking the greenette on a date made them both grin. “It’s fair to say that I would not have dated you if Robin never became my best friend.”

“Another toast to Robin for being so supportive of us,” Palutena cheered as they both raised their glasses and took another sip.

“Robin really likes us together,” Lucina could not help but laugh at how the female tactician was always gushing at the sight of the goddess and the swordswoman together. “I can never understand her at times but sometimes I do.”

“Which reminds me,” Palutena rummaged through her bag to find her gift for her girlfriend. What the Ylissean saw was unbelievable to her eyes; it was a mask that resembled her own broken mask. The color was exactly the same with a slight modification. The outline of the mask had a shade of green that matched the goddess’s hair. “Happy anniversary, Lucina!”

The future princess was stunned that the greenette’s gift was something she was not expecting. She still was not moving as her eyes were mesmerized by the mask. “H-how did you make that?”

“Well,” the goddess remembered the process of making the gift. “You mentioned that you were going to bring your broken mask. I thought that since that one represented your past, this mask would represent you in the present. It did take several days to make, but I had to study your mask and its features.”

“That’s so thoughtful and kind of you,” Lucina received her gift and wore it under the tree lights. “How do I look?”

“You are very cute,” the goddess placed her index finger under the swordswoman’s chin. “Are you Marth?”

“Very amusing,” the bluenette sarcastically replied as she took off her mask.

“Now that I gave you my gift, I want to know what you got me,” this was now Lucina’s time to ask the question. She just needed to transition it smoothly.

The bluenette stood up, signaling her goddess to stand up as well. Lucina wrapped her arms around Palutena’s neck, giving her a smile. However, the goddess interpreted that her girlfriend expressed a bit worrisome since that what the bluenette’s eyes appeared to be, according to her.

“Palutena,” the Ylissean began. “I can never forget the times you and I spent together. Every time I see you, I feel warm inside. This feeling of love for you cannot go away. Overcoming our hardships showed us that we can do anything together, just you and I. I had fun together. But-“

“Are you… breaking up with me?” Palutena’s voice cracked a bit as her eyes had water.

“W-what?” The swordswoman was taken aback by her goddess’s question. “N-no! I’m not breaking up with you, not on our anniversary. Why would you say that?”

“It’s just the way you’re saying those words to me,” the emerald-haired goddess explained, feeling relieved that Lucina was not going to terminate their relationship. “It sounded like you had a great time with me, but it had been not working out for you.”

“That’s not true,” the future princess thought her girlfriend’s explanation was way off. “We may encounter more problems but we’ll always find a way to compromise. I still like seeing you whenever we’re together.

Palutena placed her forehead onto Lucina’s forehead and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry for overreacting. I was scared that I failed another relationship again.”

“You’re not going to fail this one,” the Ylissean’s statement was supposed to send an implicit message to the goddess but she did not catch that.

“What do you mean by that?” The greenette gazed at her girlfriend in confusion.

“I still haven’t shown you my gift.”

“I would like to know what you got me.”

“First,” the bluenette gave the greenette the mask Palutena made for her. “Wear this for me.”

She complied and wore the mask she made for Lucina. It was strangely dark, rendering her blind.

“Lucina,” the goddess said as the Ylissean took several steps back. “I can’t see anything from this mask. I may have to borrow your gift to make some adjustments.”

“That is fine,” Lucina answered back as she was ready to present her gift to Palutena. “You cannot see me at all?”

“Not one bit.”

“You can take off the mask.”

As soon as Palutena took off the mask, she immediately dropped it as she saw Lucina on one knee with a cubical container revealing a ten-carat yellow gold round ring with three red ruby diamonds on top. It was surrounded by emerald diamonds, which was shaped to resemble a crown. The goddess took a step back and covered her mouth with both hands. She then began to burst out sobs not out of sadness, but out of happiness. Within that feeling, she was also astonished that Lucina bought her a ring, but no ordinary ring.

“L-Lucina,” Palutena finally formed her girlfriend’s name as she was overwhelmed by what she was looking at. “W-where… hh-how… w-when did you get that ring?”

“It had been a year since I bought this ring,” the Ylissean admitted as she also smiled with water on her sapphire eyes. “I did not know when it was the right time. To be honest, I wanted to ask you ever since we shared our first kiss together on this very spot a year ago. However, I wanted to wait because I just needed to know if my future was with you.”

“You’ve saved this until today?”

“Our relationship needed to last a little longer before I was ready to share my life with yours,” the swordswoman’s latter words made the goddess cry more because she knew where her girlfriend was leading the conversation.

“I…I can’t believe I’m really seeing this,” the greenette could not hold on to her current state. She needed Lucina to hurry and ask the question. “This is the gift you got for me?”

“You make me happy. Your beautiful smile and personality are all I love about you,” Lucina’s hands were shaking a little as her heart was beating faster. “It’s amusing to me that I, a mortal, would ever fall for a goddess. However, she’s more than a goddess to me. She’s the woman who complements my weaknesses so I can become a better person myself. It’s the same the other way around. She’s also the woman who is intelligent, caring, and kind. We decide our future together. For that to happen, it all starts here. My gift to you. Palutena, will you marry me?”

Palutena still had water in her eyes as they also ran down her face. Her face was getting redder by the fact that Lucina had proposed to her. She nodded and joyously exclaimed, “Yes! Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you! There’s no question about that!”

“You will?!” Lucina’s face beamed with joy.

“I’m not saying no. I’m saying yes!” The Ylissean stood up and embraced her goddess who also hugged her back as tight as she could. Everything felt surreal. It was hard to believe at first that Palutena and Lucina began dating just over a year ago. They were now engaged. This was their moment to seize. Nothing in the world mattered as long as they had the bond they forged over the course of its lifetime. Soon the bluenette placed the ring in the greenette’s ring finger on her left hand. The emerald-haired goddess was still in tears over the proposal. “It’s beautiful. I was not expecting you to propose to me.”

“You never expected me to do that at all since you surprise me with a lot of things,” Lucina said as she remembered the times where Palutena would catch her off guard with many things whether it was scaring her or doing some activity of a plan.

Without any words, Palutena tackled her lover, pinned her wrists with her hands, and pelted many quick kisses on Lucina’s face and neck. It was too many to count since the goddess was unleashing everything she was feeling for Lucina at the moment. The future princess felt warm and felt a shivering sensation. Palutena made sure that she held on to Lucina, never wanting to let go of her. Afterward, her eyes met with Lucina’s.

“Each kiss was how much I wanted to say yes and marry you,” the greenette said as her forehead came into contact with her swordswoman’s.

“I’m assuming very much,” the bluenette joked, which engendered the goddess to giggle.

“I love you, Lucina.”

“I love you, too, Palutena.”

There was a brief silence as the two locked eyes at each other. They grinned before rubbing their noses together. Every moment was memorable for this particular night with Palutena and Lucina putting forth a new chapter of their lives together. Then, silence was broken.

“We have to tell the news to everyone,” the goddess wanted to get up but was halted by the future princess.

“I want to spend a little bit more time with my fiancé before we head back,” Lucina smirked as she had her hands intertwined behind Palutena’s neck.

“Fiancé… I like the sound of that,” Palutena then also repeated the same thing her fiancé did to her. They then proceeded to passionately press their lips against each other.

The goddess and the swordswoman are prepared to face whatever the future lays ahead of them. For the better or worse, as long they do not let go of their love, Palutena and Lucina can accomplish anything together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this very long story haha. At one point, I've left this story behind me, but with support from the reviewers and followers on FFNET I revived the story and finished it. There will be a sequel to this story, which is going to take place in the Smash Ultimate timeline.


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